A Sunny Day - an apocalypse story Solar Flare Verse Part 1
by Awatere11
Summary: Lady Emma Wentworth asked me for a story based on the Solar Flare Activity we experience and the theories on how bad it could get. So ... OK ... I ran with it. With the team trapped in the base while the world above burns how long before someone decides to feed Gwen to Janet do ya think? No flamers please ...ALT VERSE ... love my crumbly cakes .. no like no read xxxxx
1. Chapter 1

1

 _Scientists around the globe are joining those in the United States in becoming alarmed at the possibility of a plasma cloud from a solar superstorm that could wipe out vast electronics networks, because they say Earth would have only a notice of about 15 minutes._

 _U.S. space scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrator and the National Aeronautic Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center have been expressing concern over what is fast becoming a "solar storm maximum."_

 _And the alarms now are going off globally, with expressions of concern from European Union interests, the European Space Agency and Great Britain's Royal Academy of Engineering, which is urging the British Space Weather Board to help that nation prepare for a massive solar flare._

" _Our message is, don't panic, but do prepare – a solar superstorm will happen one day and we need to be ready for it," said Professor Paul Cannon who chaired the Academy's working group._

 _Given the intensity of the increasing flare spewing from the sun's surface, experts agree that scientists would have only 15 minutes of warning of an intense solar flare – a huge plasma cloud of charged particles that can become a nightmare to unguarded electronics on earth._

 _Right now, scientists are relying on an ageing satellite called ACE – Advanced Composition Explorer which provides the 15 minutes heads-up._

 _The concern has been rising as the sun continues spewing out new, massive flares even as Earth moves closer into alignment with the gigantic sun spots producing those flares._

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Ianto listened to the radio as he did his few meagre dishes and prepared for work, the jacket waiting over the back of the chair he had eaten his breakfast sitting in, was the same charcoal grey as the pants and vest snugly hugging his lean frame and the white shirt was pristine. Jack preferred the pale pink shirt with this suit but it had succumbed to the Weevil entrails last week and he had yet to find time to replace it.

He dried the cup he had just scrubbed as he pondered the radio interview.

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 _Michael Hapgood, who heads the Space Environment at STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the United Kingdom, the infrastructure for the European space weather community provides valuable information to the space science and engineering community spoke earlier._

 _However, it also has a number of weaknesses, he said, in which the programs are fragmented, there is limited awareness among decision-makers who ultimately control budgets, poor quality of programs are offered and some still regard space weather as a part of astronomy._

 _To Hapgood, there also are threats to developing useful information. Because of fragmentation of the programs, it leads to piecemeal funding cuts. Space weather products also compete with other areas of astronomy and many, he said, view space between the planets as empty and therefore harmless._

 _Since satellites are integral to the infrastructure of the U.S., space weather data becomes critically important to anticipate anomalies and potential failures of the satellites. It also is the first step in making the satellites more resistant to such space weather events._

 _Indeed, numerous studies have shown a correlation of satellite anomalies with space weather. Most anomalies have occurred during periods of space storms. For example, anomalies experienced in 2003 occurred during the October 2003 Halloween storms._

 _Richard Fisher, NASA heliophysicist, warns about the damages that solar flares, CME, EMP can cause to Earth._

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Ianto sighed as he turned it off, remembering back in 1994 when Telesat's Anik E1 was disabled for some seven hours due to space weather-induced static electricity discharge damage to its control electronics, according to a study by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

The satellite provided communications for all of Canada, underscoring the importance of the satellite. The Canadian press was unable to deliver news to 100 newspapers and 450 radio stations.

An hour after the Anik E1 recovered, Telesat's Anik E2 blanked out. Consequently, some 1,600 remote communities lost their television coverage and data services. In addition, backup systems similarly were damaged "making the U.S. $290 million satellite useless," the NAS report said. Ianto had read it before filing it, as he did most reports like that. He recalled some 100,000 home satellite dish owners had to manually repoint their dishes to E1 and other satellites. The Anik 2 satellite later was put back into operation following a $50 million, six-month recovery effort.

He wondered if Jack was keeping up with this shit and then as he headed out to the foyer he pulled open his letter box to check it and sighed, the little toy car looking back at him.

Ianto turned and looked back up the stairs to the floor of flats he lived on and the little hands gripping the railing of the sitars gave away the culprit.

"Dendy, please stop parking your car in my spot" Ianto scolded as he removed it and slipped it into his pocket, replacing it with a block of chocolate and the little boy's giggle followed him out into the drizzle as he called back. "I will have to borrow your car, the rain is terrible out here. I'll return it later."

"Cost ya a fizzy" came the faint call and Ianto waved back over his shoulder in acknowledgement.

Funny kid.


	2. Chapter 2

2

"Good morning Toshiko" Ianto said softly as he placed her cup by her keyboard, "Have you been following these solar flares they are predicting?"

She spun to face him and her glasses gleamed under the lights, "Yes Ianto. We have several satellite feeds I need to maintain and in addition to communications satellites any disruption also could adversely affect ground positioning systems, or GPS, which is integral to aircraft, automobiles and even mobile phones. GPS also is affected by severe ionospheric changes from geomagnetic storms, thereby interfering with the radio wave transmissions from satellites to the ground, ships, aircraft or other satellites."

"During the October 2003 geomagnetic storm, stations lost tracking capabilities on some or all channels. It also affected the accuracy of the international global systems. A brief or partial loss of tracking because of space weather during a critical event could certainly degrade applications with societal and economic impacts, such as tsunami warning systems" Ianto agreed. "Power surges from solar particles could blow out huge transformers which take a long time to replace. This would especially be the case if that replacement involved hundreds of giant transformers that were destroyed all at once."

"Could that happen? Really?" Tosh pondered "Collateral effects of a longer-term outage would likely include, for example, disruption of the transportation, communication, banking, and finance systems, and government services; the breakdown of the distribution of potable water owing to pump failure; and the loss of perishable foods and medications because of lack of refrigeration. The resulting loss of services for a significant period of time in even one region of the country could affect the entire nation and have international impacts as well."

"You make it sound like an apocalypse" Owen said as he reached for his mug in Ianto's tray, "I mean … fear mongering comes into play here, right?"

"As severe as some of these recent events have been, the historical record reveals that space weather of even greater severity has occurred in the past – e.g., the Carrington Event of 1859 and the great geomagnetic storm of May 1921 – and suggests that such extreme events, though rare, are likely to occur again sometime in the future" Toshiko said and Owen looked at Ianto with confusion.

"The May 1921 event refers to the New York Railroad Storm which NASA dubbed a superstorm. According to various accounts, there was a storm that began on May 13, 1921, on the sun with a sunspot that could be seen with the naked eye through smoked glass. The spot was 94,000 miles long and 21,000 miles wide. The next day, it had reached the center of the sun to unleash an earth-directed sun flare, which caused a three-degree magnetic bearing change" Ianto explained like he was reading from some wiki page as his edidic memory clicked in "Considered to be one of the five worst recorded events of solar storms, it disrupted communications traffic from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River. On May 15, it not only disrupted but knocked out of operation the entire signal and switching system of the New York Central Railroad below 125th street. This outage then was followed by a fire in the control tower at 57th and Park Avenue."

"No one had ever heard of such a thing having happened during the course of an auroral display," Jack agreed as he arrived for his own cup. "The cause of the outage was later ascribed to 'ground current' that had invaded the electrical system. The ensuing fire destroyed the telegraph instrument and destroyed the switchboard. It then proceeded to destroy the entire building. The same storm burned out a Swedish telephone station and interfered with telephone, telegraph and cable traffic over most of Europe."

"If a storm with the intensity of the 1921 event were to occur today, NASA said it would result in large-scale blackouts affecting more than 130 million people and would expose more than 350 transformers to the risk of permanent damage" Toshiko pointed out as Jakc nodded, "In the last century, there also have been other events such as the Feb. 11, 1958, solar storm which resulted in nationwide radio blackouts. According to various reports, auroras were visible in Boston, Seattle, Canada and Newfoundland. The storm reportedly was so intense over Europe that newspaper reports at the time said that there was concern for fires and the fear that war had broken out again."

"I forgot about that one" Jack pointed at her.

"If it were to occur today it could have profound societal and economic consequences, with cascading effects throughout the complex and interrelated infrastructures of modern society." Tosh sighed "The loss of power and even backup power supplies would have a dramatic effect on water, communication, banking and finance and other critical infrastructure including government services. Loss of these systems for a significant period of time in even one region of the country could affect the entire nation and have international impacts."

"So, this one predicted over the next few days is being closely monitored?" Ianto asked, "Can I observe?"

"I can patch through to NASA to peek" Tosh looked at Jack with open hope.

"I don't think that has anything to do with an Alien Threat Jack" Gwen cut in with her usual flare …pardon the pun…. "We have cases Toshiko should be looking for leads in, not Ianto's little space project."

Ianto felt the sting and turned to head down to see Janet.

He liked Janet.

She wanted to rip Gwen's head off too.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Ianto walked home in a weird heat that seemed to make the world around him shimmer as though it were all some dream.

He passed Dendy and dropped the little car into his outstretched hand, kneeling to hold up a five pound note, "No sweets until after your supper."

"Yes Ianto" the wee man promised, his face flushed with excitement as Ianto released his end of the paper and Dendy ran down three steps before Ianto rose gracefully.

"Dendy, you tell your mama!"

"Shit" the tiny version of Owen swung to race back up and a high five seemed necessary as he raced four doors along from Ianto's front door to tell his mama he wanted to go to the shop on the corner, then he exited the apartment to run back past Ianto again, this time making a little revving noise like he was a car.

"Spoiler" Dendy's mother said softly an Ianto glanced over at her, the stark red lipstick and the coiffed hair of a professional night worker looking back at she primped to get ready for another night out sucking dick for her baby.

"He's a lovely boy Serena. You do such a wonderful job as a mama bird" he replied, the key sliding in and he could practically feel the tumblers clicking along the metal, "Nice wig, that a new one?"

"Yeah" she lit up, the sultry act gone. Like most of the sex workers in the area they knew this was a gentleman who would never accept a bit of their trade. This made him somehow even more sweet as he winked and disappeared, then popped his head out again, "Rent due tomorrow, are you OK or do you need a spot?"

"Oh bless you sweetie, nah I made it this month" she smiled at the lovely man, "Got that new spot under the bridge, me papers is flowing."

"Good, a fit bird like you could be real high class ya know" Ianto said, as he often did and although she knew deep down he was only trying to help build her up to hold her head high as she walked to her spot there was a little spark of delight as he smiled at her like a brother "You are a star, don't forget it Serena."

"Love you too sweetling, best go see if that can be soaked" she said as she finally noticed the blood on the sleeve and he rolled his eyes as he looked then cursed in a way that was so 'street' that she giggled and wondered what sort of baby he had been. Maybe a bit like hers?

Word around the building was that he worked for some elite government agency, some even speculated that he as a Hitman or something. Always so well presented, so calm and polite, even that time it looked like a grizzly bear had tried to eat him then spat him out.

Ianto closed the door and leaned against it as he looked around his apartment. If you are wondering, she was right. He was exactly like Deny except for one thing. He has a big sister who tried to be the other wee mama while their pretty princess worked nights if ya know what I mean. Their Da had gone way for such a long time that prison was spoken of like some health spa. So long ago. Why think of such things?

Ianto removed the jacket to examine the large stain more closely and cursed as he saw that it had reached the shirt as well. Damn it all to the seven hells! As he muttered about Gwen and her aim he passed the window and glanced out, the weird sky reminding him or the aurora borealis he saw at health camp that year when mama's pimp had beaten her so bad she had to spend time in hospital and they were taken away.

Rhia never came back.

Ianto stood and watched the pretty lights, the way the sky undulated with ribbons of colour like a psycodelic trip and his mind went back to the radio that morning and the subsequent discussion until Gwenzilla stomped all over it with her usual flare.

Another two days he told himself, another two days and the flaring will recede and we can all settle down.

The sound of feet pounding past and a soft whoop told him Dendy had collected his mate Simon Sez from the next level down and he also knew the supper was going to be forgotten as the large bag of sweets and the fizzys the kids no doubt had were going to be supper.

They always were.

Rent day tomorrow. She would have no food in the house at all bar what she could stand to get for Dendy. She would go without. Ianto sighed as he settled on the sofa and tried to let himself be zen or some shit, the jacket and shirt ruined.

He hoped she would at least take a couple of pieces of candy with her on her long night ahead.

If only for the aftertaste.


	4. Chapter 4

4

The pounding on the door woke him and he immediately grabbed for his gun, sliding along the wall to the door and opening it to the length of the security chain, looking out into the hallway where he finally looked down at Dendy.

"Dens" Ianto said as he closed the door to slide the chain off then opened it wide to let him in but the little man shook his head.

"Nah, not here for the sofa, Simon Sez is missing" he said with a look of concern, "He went home after our supper and his mam came looking for him. Somewhere in the building coz the night bolt is on the front door and the wee mandem can't reach it."

Ianto didn't point out that Dendy was the same age and couldn't reach it either, nodding as he removed his slippers and slid into a pair of loafers instead, pulling the door shut and starting along the level, "So he went down, did you see him take the stairs?"

Yeah, I waved over the leaning spot" Dendy patted the banister he liked to peer around, "He was going down."

Ianto moved down and found Simon's mother on the lower landing, her dress soiled and torn at the hem as she looked up at him and pulled at it subconsciously. His eyes checked her quickly and saw that there were no new bruises "Mister Slap n Tickle?"

She smiled as she nodded, the client who liked to pretend he was an Alpha paid well and always gifted her nice things sometimes even remembering she had a child. After all, there was a resemblance she had pointed out hopefully.

"Hey Morena" Ianto said as he came flush to her, "If he didn't stop here he headed further down, maybe…rent day tomorrow. Anything in the cupboards? No lies here, no judgement sister."

She shook her head and he sighed, Dendy already running as he got the insinuation. Ianto followed as he explained, "The old fallout shelter still has all the old MREs and stuff. The kids pretend they are soldiers down there remember? We did too. Some of the powdered meals are not that bad, shit."

The door was closed and Dendy was struggling with the handle, "Stuck."

"Out of the way wee man" Ianto said as he struggled and then growled, changing position then cursing more. Nope. He opened the ancient cover to the keyboard and stared at it, then removed the gun from his pocket and used the butt to slam the casing until it split and he pulled at it, removing some wires which he wriggled until he heard a click.

"Try now super dude."

The door opened and Simon staggered out with a look of relief, "Ta Ianto man."

"If I've told you once I've told you a hundred times that….oh god. Did I just sound like me mam?" he said with horror as they laughed softly and he reached down to pull a large chunk of wood out of the dark, "You kids have to leave the wedge in here so the door doesn't shut. The circuitry is buggered. OK?"

"Yes Ianto" they intoned with wide eyes and serious nods.

"I kicked it by mistake" Simon pouted, "Bloody thing."

"Yes, bloody thing that is supposed to be sealed. Remember, we get a spot inspection someone has to run don and kick it out. I can reopen it later, yeah?" Ianto said sternly, "No one inside or I might not get back in time to get you out before you need the loo"

"Yes Ianto"

Ianto shook his head and then smiled to show no hard feelings, "come on then. Hot chocolate then all piss off to your beds, yeah?"

They headed up with delight, Ianto's' hot chocolate offer usually meaning no one had to leave and as he pulled out the sofa bed Morena pulled out the blankets to make the bed up, snuggling in with the two boys as Ianto provided comfort drinks.

Morena did the early shift and always minded the kids for the last shift of the night, the agreement was that she could then send both boys to Serena and get her shift over fast. On those rare nights she found herself on a long-timer a text to Ianto meant the kids still had a bed.

When he was there.

If not they were to go to old woman Henderson but they all knew the little buggers hid in the bunker. Ianto's flat was so much nicer, especially before rent day when breakfast would be hot and yummy too.

Ianto remembered his own empty belly when walking to school, unable to ignore these kids who looked to him with such open acceptance.

Almost like the family he knew he would never have.

Not with Torchwood.


	5. Chapter 5

5

" _Virtually all of the various infrastructures and services would be dependent on electric power which could be affected by space weather. Electricity is not storable in form. Conversion from other agency sources, such as hydro, fossil fuel and nuclear, is required and production of electrical energy needs to be matched to current demand. It is transported via electric power grids of the United States and Canada, requiring constant attention to many details to assure safe, reliable and secure operations. As the nation's infrastructures and services increase in complexity and interdependence over time, a major outage of any one infrastructure will have an increasingly widespread impact the NAS study said. For example, the dependence of nearly all critical services on information technology is ever increasing, and the flow of information is itself dependent on communications infrastructure and a reliable supply of electric power."_

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Ianto placed the pillows up on the shelf in the closet and turned as he considered what they were saying and he glanced out the window at the ribbons of colour, wondering if their internal power cells had been rotated recently. Was a request for a shut down drill a good idea? He would as Jack.

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 _While there are backup power supplies, in most cases they operate only for limited periods. In turn, these systems need to be kept separate in the event that a major or multiple solar storms don't shut down both locations simultaneously. The NAS study has warned that a loss of key infrastructure for any extended period of time due to the cascading effects from a space weather storm could lead to a lack of food, given low inventories, loss of basic transportation, the inability to pump fuel and loss of refrigeration._

 _There also is the prospect that command and control for emergency services also would be lost and medical care systems would be seriously affected because of the reliance of generators and their backups to maintain emergency services. For medical devices used at home, they also would be seriously affected by the loss of electricity._

 _In addition to the infrastructures of transportation, medical and emergency services, telecommunications, and the economic and financial system, access to money in a bank would become problematic since electromagnetic effects would impact something as simple as trying to get money from an ATM machine, making it impossible to purchase emergency supplies._

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Ianto snorted as he muttered to himself, "Don't be twats. If the shit hits the fan money will get you nothing, just toilet paper to wipe your bum on. Weapons, food and drinkable water would be…"

Ianto huffed as he scolded himself for that, talking to yourself is the first sign of madness ya know. Ya silly twat.

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 _New information and models reveal the impact from solar storms and the disruption and potential destruction they can cause to critical infrastructures such as banking, energy, transportation, communications, food, water and emergency services on which the U.S. economy greatly depends._

 _The potential for such a catastrophe has increased over the years as infrastructures and services have increased in complexity and interdependence._

 _To understand the full potential impacts of a severe space weather event requires understanding not just direct impacts – e.g., disruption to electric power grids – but also the indirect impacts – e.g. how loss of electric power may affect delivery of other services in computing, transportation, health care, and so on. As the loss of core systems leads to failure in other, dependent systems, a cascade of system failure can result…the potential for a severe space weather event to set off a cascade of failures in critical systems has implications for national security._

 _For example, the vulnerability of the power grid in a solar storm maximum, while a low-frequency-of-occurrence event, can have the potential for long-duration catastrophic impact on the grid and users, especially since electronics incorporated into various systems have become more intricate and complex._

 _The impact would be felt on interdependent infrastructures. For example, potable water distribution, perishable foods and medications would be affected or lost in the first 12 to 24-hour period. There would be the immediate or eventual loss of heating or air conditioning, sewage disposal, phone service, transportation and fuel resupply._

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Ianto realized he was making a mental list of the supplies they needed, wanting to check everything was in place in case of Darlek invasion, Solar flares, Jack madness, Riot Week.

He couldn't help but grin as he found another little car sitting by the car keys and he scooped it up with the keys, dropping them all in his pocket.

He would need to add some chocolate bars to the list.

He stepped outside and the heat was the first thing that hit him, making him puff with surprise as the usually cool autumn morning was not only rain free, it was warming up.

He hastened his walk.

He didn't like this at all, maybe Tosh had something to comfort him with.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Ianto was almost to the Hub when a voice whined in his ear "Have you been listening to this shit? Don't panic they said, don't panic my arse!"

Ianto smiled, "Good morning Owen, looking for a donut are we?"

"Weeeeeeell, if you are headed past that shop at all…." Ianto knew the 'Please' was on the tip of his tongue so he saved him with a quick reply.

"Almost there now Owen, will see you in a few." Ianto said with a casual tone, the soft chuff before disconnecting not lost on him. Owen and his gut.

Ianto walked from the bakery with some parcels for everyone and was walking across the Plass when the weirdest thing happened. A droning noise that had him looking up with interest, then stalling out as he stared up at the small Cesena aircraft slowly corkscrewing into the bay in a lazy dive.

"Fuck"

Ianto started to move at speed, heading for the tourist entrance and the first bird landed by his feet and flapping about with uncontrollable noises as if it were under attack from some invisible force.

"Shit balls"

Ianto reached the door and struggled with the key, the next birds landing like fat raindrops, feathery sickly blood filled raindrops and they made no noise bar the sound of dull thuds as they died on impact.

Ianto was in and he slammed the door, looking out as the bay seemed to shudder. He waited but did not feel an earthquake, turning to place the bag down and take a few calming breaths.

The bright light was like a flash going off but it stayed…Ianto closing his eyes against the glare as he cried out and fumbled for the lever then he was stumbling down into the secret entrance as the entire base started to shut down, the klaxons sounding as Ianto slid down the wall to pant and hold a hand to his heart like he might calm himself with such a motion.

"Too close" he whispered, then stood and took a deep breath before he walked down to find the chaos he was scared to know meant the shutdown was not completing, Owen shouting as he raced about slapping at things and Toshiko slammed her keyboard down as Jack raced up the stairs to check the aviary doors were sealing.

Gwen slowly revolved in her chair with a look of confusion and Ianto had a moment of clarity, like in the middle of a gunfight you know you have a banana instead of a gun "Gwen? You do realise we are in a state of emergency right?"

"Well, obviously" she said slowly, "Everyone is acting like it's the end of the world."

Ianto shook his head as he moved past her and leaned in to see what the problem was, the doors to the upper parking level were not engaging according to the light panel "Something in the way?"

"No, cameras are clear" Tosh huffed, "Damn it, I can't find a fault but they keep half closing then stalling out."

"Hydraulic failure?" Ianto considered, "Well, the manual override would take care of that if we…." Ianto slapped his hand against his head, "Shit. It's up there in the tourist centre. Damn it. The heat up there is like an oven, do we have an estimate on how hot this is gonna get?"

"We are monitoring but at the moment it is like an extreme heat wave" Tish replied without looking up from her screen, "warnings are out to stay indoors and if we can just keep the power grid up we can….no."

As if it heard her, the grid flickered and filled the wall screen showing fluctuations at the main station.

"Shit, the nuclear power plant" Ianto suddenly blurted, "If this get hot enough to blow the power grid and the plant's back-up goes as well we will have a meltdown. That maintenance check isn't due until next month."

"Fuck off" Owen snarled as he sat at his own work station, then he slapped the side of his screen, "I told you to replace this."

"I did" Ianto rolled his eyes, "Did you try turning it on? See? Little button on the side? Says 'on' see?"

"Oh" Owen said with surprise, then snorted as he started his own checking and he called out the numbers as Tosh worked, Ianto moving through to perform an internal shut down of the disused sections an levels in the lower areas he considered unnecessary. If they were moving to filtered air the less space to have to pump air through the better, besides the air trapped in the lower levels can be pumped out into the main hub later in an effort to prolong the air if they were going to have a problem with said filter system.

"By the book" Ianto said to himself, his heart still erratic as he worked and a hand slid up between his shoulder blades calming him immediately as that heady sent accompanying it was clearly a certain Captain.

"You OK Tiger?" he whispered.

"Yeah Cariad, struggling to shut things out"

Jack knew Ianto wasn't just talking about systems and he nodded, a soft pat before sliding away and Ianto felt relief in the momentary comfort and the fact Owen hadn't noticed.

They had to close that door, the heat was still rising and the first vehicle by the outer doors had paint peeling off.

Holy shit.

Not good.

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I know some of you are a bit bored with all the blah blah explaining but there are some who will have a go at me if I don't set it out first. Alt Verse does not let me off the hook there I am afraid and I am trying to show that I am researching a bit.

I am about through it now, just setting the scene with some 'real life' info. Ta Google.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Toshiko stood toe to toe with Ianto as they argued like Jack wasn't even there, his hand waving between them finally breaking them apart.

"Not for nothing, but you do remember that I am the boss right?" he asked them, "I get to chose which team member puts themselves in harm's way and it is most likely…."

"You can't go because you are too heavy to drag back dead" Ianto said sullenly, "You would push beyond your boundaries. Die. One of us would have to go get you without a suit as that is the only working hazmat one….thanks Owen….and you are fucking heavy."

"First of all" Owen said angrily from the side, "Ta, you are welcome. Second Ianto is right. Tosh knows her limits, you don't. We can't leave you up there to die over and over in the heat, besides you will smell fucking horrible."

"Thank you Owen" Ianto said grandly, bowing to him and Owen grinned happily.

"Why Tosh?" Gwen suddenly blurted and they all remembered she was there turning to stare at her where she stood by the water cooler getting a drink.

"Owen is our medic, right now one of the most important team members, we can't risk him" Jack said calmly, "They are right, I am a dirty dog that will die. You have big tits that don't fit a size small and Ianto is….Ianto?"

They looked around and Owen sighed, "He's already going for the switch."

"Goddamn it!" Jack roared, "Tosh, start getting the suit on, we can give him that long"

Owen patched into Ianto's Coms, "Hey dickhead, he's having a cow back here. Look, he's given you until Tosh is ready to go, OK? If you can get it done and not die that would be brilliant."

"For you Owen, I shall try" Ianto said in a dreamy voice as he moved up through the stairwell, "I would move heaven and earth or one more look at your alien toy collection, one more moment with you, my lovely friend."

"Of course you would" Owen crooned in a syrupy tone, "Everyone is besotted with me, why I ordered that big stick that you still haven't got me"

"Still trying to pull it out of my arse for you sweetling" Ianto replied and Owen roared with mirth as he leaned back in his chair, looking to Jack who was listening as he helped Toshiko into the suit. The other two were still where they had dropped them with disgust, the one covered in entrails Owen vaguely remembered putting away without telling Ianto and the other one he has no clear recall about but admits it was his chewing gum in the vent as he is the only one who likes that flavour.

Go figure.

"OK I am at the doors" Ianto reported as he slid his jacket off and placed it gently on the coat rack and then he removed the old canvas tote bag he occasionally moved supplies about in and with a deep breath he hit the override and opened the inner door, the heat whooshing in like opening an oven door, which I guess in a way he had.

Ianto moved quickly, scooping things into the tote as he went and he wanted to approach the doors to look out but to his horror he could see the glass bubbling form the heat outside, his heart plummeting as he now saw that Tosh's readings were inaccurate.

This was no heat wave.

"Right" Ianto swung to face the wall with the old black bell switches and cursed as he saw the bank of computers disguised as simple storage bays and the containment areas for the space weapons and such. He sighed as he recalled telling Jack he didn't want them there and he opened the one he knew had weaponry, scooping into the tote and then flinging it back through the open door to the stairwell.

He gave silent thanks that the heat hadn't caused any misfires and he now crouched and looked at the switch he wanted.

Right.

The two shelves were close tighter but he knew his arm would fit, it had that day Owen threw Weevil innards back there, well OK at him but they had landed there. Ianto crouched lower and felt the air a little cooler down there.

He listened to the banter through the coms as Owen ripped pieces of duct tape for Toshiko's hazmat suit and Jack argued yet again that he didn't like this one little bit. Ianto also noticed Gwen was silent as per usual and he wondered what she was up to.

 _Like a puppy or a small child….never a good sign when it all goes quiet._

He was about to say something when he felt a blast of heat the he glanced at the door to watch the glass slowly collapse like taffy.

"Shit"

Ianto struggled against the shelves as Toshiko called out, her screen watching had alerted her to the sudden temperature spike and Ianto grunted as he reached for the switch.

Now or never.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Ianto could feel the sweat pooling in the middle of his lower back as he pushed against the metal shelving, grunting as he lamented his shirt, the ripping fabric soon stained and his skin started to give as well.

It was so close, if he could get to it Toshiko could stand down, if only.

 _Ianto?_

"Not now sir" Ianto huffed, talking precious time to answer him as his fingers scrabbled around and he could have sworn he felt the switch.

 _Ianto, Tosh is suited and booted, ready to go._

"Would ya shut yer pie hole for the love of fucking rainbows!" Ianto roared as he gave one final heave and he felt his fingertips catch, then he roared with pain and hope as he felt the switch start to toggle.

 _IANTO_

Click

Ianto sobbed with relief as the system hummed to life, things started to shake and shift as the lockdown initiated fully and then he realised he was not in the right place.

"Fuck"

He tore his arm out and ran for the door that was swinging shut as Jack screamed in his ear, running like the hounds of hell were after him and as he got to the door Jack's arm shot out and seized him, yanking him in as the BOOM of the seals engaged.

Jack held him.

They breathed and trembled and laughed softly as one does when spitting into the eye of Death himself. After a while Jack drew back to check Ianto over and saw the blood dripping from his hand to the floor, pulling the arm up to examine the long rakes to the skin.

"Oh no, Ianto" Jack said softly as he found more bruising and torn skin.

"It stings but I will live" Ianto replied, "I will live. Is Tosh OK?"

"Hot" Jack said as he led Ianto down through the levels, "She was wilting before her helmet was on."

Ianto stumbled and Jack caught him, helping him down to the med bay where Owen was waiting to tear at his clothing while muttering about heat stroke and Ianto let him, flopping back into the cold sheets Owen had yanked from the freezer drawer and laid out for him, his bark of shock also tempered with delight.

Then Owen saw his arm and Looked to Gwen, "That tray over there in the cabinet with the cloth over it, bring it to me and don't remove the cloth."

Gwen huffed and complied, kneeling to offer it to Owen when she saw Ianto's red face and torn arm, "Oh Pet!"

She also dropped the tray.

Owen watched with a bland sigh and then looked down at the instruments scattered on the sheet, "Well. Do I clap or just shoot something."

"Shit, these sheets are clean right?" Ianto panted, "Owen, I think infection is already there judging from the rust and dust falling on me while I was squishing between the shelves."

Owen nodded, scooping everything up and then snatching a jar of isopropyl alcohol to douse everything in the tray then he settled to look at the deep gouges, "Right, I think I need some stitches here."

"You too?" Ianto asked, "Weird, I need stitches too."

Owen paused with the needle half way to Ianto's arm and looked up at him, then sniggered softly "Silly Muppet."

"Owen, you know those donuts you wanted and I had left sitting on the chair behind the counter?" Ianto whispered and Owen hummed as he leaned close to check his work, "Snagged into my tote bag."

Owen whispered "You blinder."

"Well, a coffee seemed a bit repugnant given our…..huh. Owen, would you like an iced coffee? I think I still have that blender from the margarita night Suzie wanted for her birthday that year." Ianto said and Owen made a happy noise as his cravings had started and he had been sure he was going to have to go cold turkey.

"Once I have cooled enough to please you I will fetch what I need and bring it down, like a recon into hostile territory" Ianto said happily, "You can even do the Mission Impossible Theme Music while I do it if ya like?"

"Ooooo" Owen said happily, "And commentary?"

They both started to snigger as Tosh slid over and offered Ianto a drink and he gratefully accepted it.

Jack watched as Tosh and Owen fussed on him and then he glanced over at Gwen and wondered what she was thinking as she watched the three team mates with a soft frown. Jack sighed and rose to go check on the seals down below, as he also realised Gwen hadn't left and she was supposed to do the check an hour ago.

He watched Ianto as he looked from Owen to him, his eyebrows raising in silent question and he pointed at his feet to indicate the others and Ianto nodded as he turned to look at Gwen then frown and Jack knew he had worked out the times.

He wondered if Ianto would call her on it and then sighed as he knew he wouldn't. Ianto was not the sort to challenge like that but he was interested to see how he would punish her.

Of that he had no doubt.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Ianto waited until they were settled having a cold drink and some sandwiches, Owen of course devouring his donuts with happy hums, when he struck with an ice cube.

He had hoped it would have an effect but was surprised to see quite how cold it was when someone was overheated and unable to retrieve it from their bosom. He had dropped it and picked it up as Jack chortled and made a lewd comment, squeezing hard enough to pop it out of that space between finger and thumb and like he had as a young child competing with his mates on a hot day, he watched the ice cube hit fine and true, sliding between her breasts as she screamed.

She sprang to her feet and started jumping up and down while grabbing at herself, Tosh rushing to help only to get an elbow to the eye and she yelped as she fell back. Finally she pulled out her top and bra, letting it slide through to ping on the floor, her look of doom zeroing in on the one who was going red in the face as he tried to contain himself.

"Ianto! You bastard!" Gwen screamed and he started to snort, then he turned to look away as he started to laugh, joining the riotous bellowing Owen had already started to fill the Hub with.

"That's enough" Jack barked, "Ianto, that was cold…I mean cruel. Shit, stop it!"

"What!" Ianto said with wide eyes, "It was an accident."

"You see?" Gwen said to Jack, "I told you he resents me, you saw that. He does little petty things."

"Are you sure you are talking about him?" Owen demanded, "Because the only one I see being a twat around here is you!"

Gwen huffed, then stomped over to her desk where she rustled about and placed her sidearm on the desk top, "Well, I need a shower anyway."

"You can't shower" Ianto replied, "All water must be treated with respect now. Thank the gods the bay doors sealed with the shut down, we have all that in the inner harbour for bathing water. I suggest we swim in there once every second day for bathing purposes with no soap and if we need to use soap we will each be allowed one bucket to take to the showers, also washing our clothes in a bucket. That volume of water will keep for months. The large fish tank can be used to water the inmates and we can use the filter system for the tank water we have in the Hub."

Gwen gaped, "Don't be stupid. We will be out of here within the day! The other countries will…"

"Gwen" Toshiko said softly, "this was not a Wales thing, you do realise this was a global event right? Satellites have fallen from the sky, planes have crashed, GPS failed, ships are lost at sea and we are in chaos. The South Pacific, New Zealand and their neighbours Australia and the pacific islands would have been in darkness when it hit, the night becoming day. They will have had longer to prepare for the revolutions that will bring us to darkness and hopefully a cool night. They will be OK if the flares fade out before night comes but they will have a slow laborious task to reach us with the world screaming from the pain."

Gwen stared at her in silence.

"Kiwi land" Jack said softly, "Nice place. Glad it's OK, so green. You know they call it Gods Zone, God's back yard. Glad it has a chance of keeping it's beauty even if it will take a few years for this side of the planet to recover from the sunburn."

Gwen huffed as she picked up her cell phone and looked at it. Then at Toshiko, "My phone still isn't working."

"No. Satellites fell from the sky" Owen said slowly like she was a retard, "Like….Meeurrrrrrrrrrrr …. splat."

"Owen" Jack said softly, as he watched Gwen frown and then huff.

"Well I will send him a text and when they get they back up he can answer" she said to herself then she dropped the phone on her desk and went to change her clothes.

"Shit, she hasn't worked it out" Ianto said as he looked at Jack with sorrow, "She thinks Rhys is fine in his truck somewhere, just cut off."

Jack stared at him long and hard, then Toshiko whispered, "You have to tell her Jack. Any of us and she will have a go. It has to be you, she will believe you."

"In good time" Jack sighed, "I am too damned tired tight now for her hysterics. After all, she is not the only one who has lost family here."

Ianto went to thank him for that then remembered that Jack probably didn't even register Rhiannon and the kids, his sad expression telling of someone else in his thoughts.

Ianto went down to his office in the lower levels hoping it was cooler, sitting at his desk and looking at the photos there. Rhiannon and the kids last Christmas, a cheap mall picture that she would have spent ages getting the kids to pose just right for. She would have been walking to school with them, Mimi swinging her hand as she clutched it while David ran ahead to meet his mates. No chance.

He sighed as he placed the jacket on the back of the chair then heard a clunk, reaching into the pocket to remove the little car.

Dendy.

Fuck.

Ianto placed it reverently by the photos and sat staring at them in silence, too tired to cry and tears were a luxury now.

Conserving water ya know.


	10. Chapter 10

Toshiko didn't know where Ianto got the fans from but she was ever so bloody grateful for something to push the air around as they all fanned themselves. Of course Gwen was the first to complain, "My wrist hurts. Owen? Can you fan me?"

Owen stared at her for an extremely uncomfortable length of time then turned back to the book he was reading, his own fan lazily wafting the pages with each wrist flick.

Toshiko had also noticed that Ianto had given her the prettiest one, the little green and blue dragon hand painted on the white silk was so pretty and Gwen had looked at her own simple black one with something akin to horror as she watched Toshiko open hers.

Ianto's was red, of course with little black birds and Jack had snagged one that was paisley. Yeah, I know, hideous but he was enjoying the looks of disgust. Owen had a simple flower design on his and he knew Gwen was about to angle for it as she knew Toshiko would never swap so he was daintily turning it every now and then so she could see the pattern….just in case.

Jack left them to their childish game and walked though to the other room where Ianto was lying on the mattress in his boxer shorts and singlet fanning his legs as he leaned back against the old sofa cushions that he had pulled over for pillows. Good idea that.

"Hey" he said softly as he sat on a crate careful not to get into Ianto's little airspace and Ianto sighed as he lay with his eyes still closed, "This is my pool, no splashing."

"Pool?"

"Yeah, I'm waiting for the pool boy to come over with one of this prissy drinks with an umbrella in it" Ianto said with a conspiratal growl, "Gonna flick his tip onto the ground by accident, make him bend over for it."

"Sounds like a plan" Jack grinned, "You got enough sunscreen on?"

Ianto's smile faded as Jack realised what he had said and Ianto turned to look up at him, "Hey, it's OK. Slip. Come on, I will share the lounger but if the pool boy comes over you can't cramp my style OK?"

Jack smiled softly as he was forgiven and he slid on to the mattress to enjoy Ianto's fan, opening his own to add to the air flow and they were soon comfortable, Ianto's fan slowly dying as Ianto settled to sleep. Jack watched as his fan kept the poor young man comfortable and a noise had him looking toward the door where Gwen was sulking.

"You're wasting good fan air on him? He's asleep." she whined, "I'm hot. Come fan me, I will take off my bra."

"Gwen I've seen you naked" Jack hissed, "After the Mervotliat slime attack we all had to scrub on and believe you me, you don't have anything that is as interesting as what Ianto can offer."

Gwen's eyes narrowed as she straightened up, "Well, just because he has a dick, doesn't mean he is all that and a packet of crisps, I can get a dick any time I want one with these!"

Jack watched her plump her breasts and snorted, "Good luck with that, I think Toshiko can trump you with her glasses on!"

A soft snort told him Ianto was awake and listening so he went for the kill, "Anyway, saying you can get a dick is not the same as having one Gwen. After all, this can be a single player game or multi player. Shame you don't have a membership to this exclusive club of two. Ianto makes my toes curl!"

Gwen flounced off and Ianto started to snigger, "Curl huh?"

"Yeah" Jack said softly as he resumed fanning him, "Toes curl, fingers splay and my heart skips. Not to mention that little thing you do…"

Jack kissed him by his earlobe and Ianto sighed softly as he drifted off again and Jack soon heard Gwen complaining in the other room followed by Owen telling her to fuck off to the naughty corner or something.

"So, tell me about this pool." He asked once Ianto's breathing changed again.

"Blue, so clear you can see the pair of knickers on the bottom of the tiles, see? Hussy left them there after a party but it is so deep. Barely a ripple this time of day, the birds swooping down to perch on the edge and take a sip, why I don't use a lot of chemicals. Hear them in the trees? That cool breeze making the branches sway so it sounds like they are whispering something important like the secrets of the universe? Listen."

Jack settled once more and watched Ianto's eyelashes flutter against his cheeks, listening to the sound of Ianto's soft breathing.

"Yes" he said gently, "Magic."

"Hmmmmmmm"

Jack waited until Ianto was not replying and settled to sleep as well, the heat cloistering.

They had to do something about that and soon.


	11. Chapter 11

Ianto was standing there staring at the morgue drawers as Owen wandered past and he stopped to look down at him with interest calling out, "They don't work. They are sealed though."

"No, just thinking about it." Ianto answered looking up, "We still have those hover boards we used to move the heavy corpses right?"

"Yeah?" Owen took a few steps down into the cavity, "why?"

"Well, it's a long shot" Ianto shrugged, "Look, the thermal device that keeps this facility humming is tempered with those fuel cells right? Jack said they would go for several hundred years, right?"

"Right" Owen frowned still not getting it.

"We keep the alien bodies and such on ice along with the inmate food and stuff, in those huge chest freezers right?" Ianto asked and again Owen nodded slowly.

"Well, can't we throw a plastic hood over this med-bay like a green house, rip out a couple of freezer compressor motors and hook them up to the energy gird?" Ianto asked, "One huge cool room?"

Owen slapped himself in the face as he saw what Ianto was suggesting, then turned while gripping the railing to look up at Jack who was calmly looking over the top railing. "What did I miss?"

"a genius at work" Own said as he brushed past, racing to look for Toshiko who came over to look down at Ianto with something akin to love as Owen explained, "well toots?"

"Yes, it would work, provided we keep the plastic over it, like a cold room. Yes, we make one stairwell the only access and completely block the other one with plastic, the folds in the plastic where each sheet overlaps would act as vents as it will take at least three sheets to cover the expanse with about half a metre of overlap, more than enough give to let the entire thing breathe. Easier to simply tear the lids off the freezers and place them on their sides to fill the space than go through too much effort extracting the compressors in this heat."

Despite the heat Tosh and Owen worked to cover the med bay with the plastic and used cable tries to attach it to the metal railings surrounding the pit as this would also help with ventilation. Jack and Ianto headed down the twp levels to get the freezers and Ianto nervously checked Janet who seemed unphased by the heat as she munched on a pumpkin he had rolled in earlier.

"How many of those left?" Jack asked as he glanced back.

"Eight, they are all starting to turn though so two a day until they are gone" Ianto sighed, "MREs go down OK, she doesn't mind those either and we have about ten years worth of those for all of us, including Myf."

Using the hover boards they moved the entire freezers to the main hub floor so the others could help with positioning, important right now not to outshine another member and they all watched Gwen as she stood in the water pool watching them.

No worries there.

"Gwen, we agreed no going in the pool" Toshiko called out, "That water might be needed."

"I don't care" Gwen said snidely, "I'm hot."

"Yeah?" Tosh straightened up, grease on her face as she glared at Gwen and shoved her glasses further up her nose, "And you think this is cooling work?"

Gwen glowered, "I don't know anything about motors."

"Not even motor boats?" Owen muttered and Ianto choked then slapped at him and mouthed 'sexual harassment' before sniggering softly.

Another hour and Toshiko finished the patch, then flicked a switch starting the motors. They stood and crossed their fingers as she looked over at Gwen who was moving from foot to foot and before they could react she raced down the steps of the med bay.

"Really? Watched us do all the work and then is first in?" Owen spluttered, "tell me again why we didn't shut her out?"

"Don't look at me" Ianto replied in a low growl, "I'm thinking of feeding her to Janet if we need extra food sources."

Owen blinked and then laughed softly as Jack ushered them down and the change was noticeable, not as cold as a freezer but cool enough to relax.

"Over the next few hours this should get quite cool. We turn them off for a few hours, then back on" Toshiko said and Gwen swung to face her.

"Why? I mean, leave them on all the time, it's soo cool" she demanded.

"And when the motors burn out?" Toshiko spat, "We have to rest them, temper them or we lose them."

Gwen pouted, "Well how was I supposed to know that!"

Ianto checked the medical sample fridge and found it had been hooked up as well, giving a thumbs up to Toshiko who grinned back. Ianto then began moving drinks from the upstairs fridge into it, revelling in the hope of cool drinks soon.

"I'm not eating or drinking anything out of that!" Gwen wailed, "Gross."

"I will have her share" Owen said happily, "She can eat pumpkins with Janet."

Jack glanced at Ianto as the comment about feeing Gwen to Janet was thought of and they both tried not to grin as they knew they were both thinking it.

Jack watched Ianto finally relax and he hoped this would be the beginning of some more calm living arrangements.

Then Gwen huffed again.


	12. Chapter 12

12

"We are entering the evening turn" Tosh said softly and everyone looked up, "Within the next hour we will enter darkness."

"And the temperature out there?" Owen asked.

"Still holding steady but should start to drop as we lose the sunlight" she answered, "The flares have dropped and I am hopeful that they are about to cease."

"So it will not be a total global firestorm" Ianto said more to himself than the others sitting in the med-bay with him, "Once it's dark it will no doubt be hot still, a lot of things burning up there and we need to move fast if we are going to check that power plant."

"What about radiation" Tosh asked.

"We test with a drone" Jack answered as he watched Gwen's head whipping back and forth, "If the air is clear and the temperatures are liveable we move to find survivors and supplies. Owen, you and Tosh need to check that power plant, the last thing we need is a…."

The boom was loud enough for Owen to duck as Myf screamed with rage and Gwen grabbed at Jack with wide eyes, looking up as dust and dirt rained down on the plastic.

"Shit, we can't afford to have this rip" Ianto said as he struggled to his feet, "That was the power plant wasn't it."

"I think so" Tosh agreed morosely, "If it is then we can't go topside."

"Why not!" Gwen demanded, "Rhys will be waiting. He needs me he will be all alone."

"For fucksake!" Owen roared, "Get your head out of your arse! He's gone. Everyone is gone! Don't you get it? Wales is gone, London…England…Scotland….Jesus Christ on a Cross, Gwen come on! This side of the planet had just been microwaved and then nuked!"

Gwen stared at him with her cheeks sucked in as Jack moved to step between them, "Hey. That's enough. Come on, we have all lost people and we are all frazzled. Come on."

Gwen started to cry, big messy and ugly wails as she collapsed against Jack and he held her as he crooned and glared at Owen, "Happy now?"

"Owen, come help me get a couple of drones out of storage and powered up, yeah?" Ianto offered, leading Owen away as Gwen wailed some more and Tosh rose to follow the two men with stooped shoulders.

"I know, don't scold" Owen huffed as they moved boxes in the storage room Ianto had led them to, "But seriously, she acts like she is the only one who matters in the whole world."

"My mother would have been putting out her washing probably" Toshiko agreed, "My brother and his family heading to school with their little girl."

"My sister and her kids too" Ianto said sadly and they stared at him with silent shock, making him look up at them with surprise. "What?"

"Sister?" Owen asked.

"Rhiannon, older than me. Two kids, Micha was six and David eight. She was a little doll and he was a fat wee bastard like his Da." Ianto said as he started to work again, "She would have been walking them to school; no car and she wouldn't let me help with money. Not like I have much but I did what I could."

"Shit. I had no idea" Owen assured him and Ianto rose, brushing off his pants, then he led them down to his office in the stacks and they looked at the photos on his desk, Toshiko surprised to find one of her there, one of Owen too.

"I didn't know you had this spot" Owen said as he looked around and Ianto leaned forward.

"Owen, I have been thinking. We are trapped, we can't go topside if the plant blew because the fallout will be more deadly than the solar flares. I am sure they are over now, if we can somehow get past the fallout we can move freely as it will be limited if the failsafe coolant system engaged." Ianto explained his thoughts, "The old sewer system can be entered through the lower levels. They move beneath the city, weevil have used them without problem, right? Can we? Cool under the dirt, we can use them to traverse the city out to the edges, see how the radiation is further out, get to London, get to the port. If we can get us a large boat we can simply sail to the pacific ocean and civilisation again."

"Why are you not saying this to Jack?" Toshiko asked.

"Because Jack will want to be the one to go, like before we would be left behind. Either that or he would veto it" Owen said as he slumped back against some boxes, "It would be dangerous, even if we can be sure the fallout is contained and the night is safe, moving topside would be unadvisable. We need to check the old maps, I have some of the old ones from the first city system, it is possible we could travel to the outer boroughs but there is no guarantee there isn't fallout still."

"Then I will go get Hazmat gear from the nearest fire station" Jack said making them all jump, "First we need to check the power plant."

They looked at him like guilty children but his glare was only for Ianto.

For a moment Ianto felt the heat worse than the flaring up in the tourist office.


	13. Chapter 13

13

"No!" Gwen barked as she listened to them and their plan while Owen was unrolling was the Weevil Map.

"Remember?" Owen said as he ignored her, "I tagged a few of the Weevil last winter and released them, we used the GPS trackers to build this map of the underground system and we found a lot of old access points we thought were blocked off had been cleared by the clever bastards."

"We send the drones" Jack said quietly but with a dangerous tone, "If the drones find a way out, we will then talk about a plan. If not then we know and can let it go."

"But Jack, if we take too long…."

"Not now Ianto!" Again Ianto felt Jack's glare and he ignored it, his own annoyance thrumming as he glanced over at Owen with a small nod to show he had memorised the map while Jack was speaking and Owen started fiddling with the remote controls for the drones as Jack started to speak again, "So, we move through the sewer system?"

"I think the best idea is to move topside at first" Tosh replied, "First we check the plant, then do a standard overview and retreat to consider things."

Ianto immediately stepped forward "But Jack…."

"Agreed" Jack nodded firmly, "Ianto, coffee?"

Owen looked up from his controller with open annoyance, "Jack, I want to get this done and I need Ianto. Two drones, like two hands, one to help the other through a doorway and stuff. We move in pairs, easier that way. You really want coffee? In this heat? Or was that to remind him he is on restrictions?"

"You know why he is on restrictions" Gwen said smugly, "Whole end of the world thing."

"Well, how about that, seems like it's the end of the world anyway" Owen snorted, "Maybe you need to raise the restrictions? If Ianto had full access this would go a lot faster."

"no" Gwen said sullenly, "He lost that for a reason!"

"It's OK Owen" Ianto said softly, stepping back to let Tosh pick up the other controller and soon they were skipping the old pipeline.

"As we thought, the safety measures worked, the explosion most mostly contained. Fallout will only be within Cardiff" Owen muttered, "Good. The levels coming in look good."

A mug of coffee slammed down by Jack as Ianto glared at him and then stalked off, his anger evident as Jack sighed and cursed himself for upsetting the young Welshman. They had been doing so well and he had slipped back to quickly. This damned heat was making them all prickly.

Jack glanced at Gwen and realised she was somehow pulling his strings. Damn it. That's what he gets for hiring someone because they reminded him of Alice. Jack knew he had to apologise, had to explain his need to protect. Maybe Ianto would understand once he explained about Alex and the Millennium thing. He needs his team safe.

The next half hour was spent tracking and air checking. They worked quietly and diligently to make sure there were no survivors stumbling about, coming to the conclusion that their first hunch was right, nothing survived topside.

"Jack?" Tosh said softly pulling him out of his thoughts and he hummed a she turned to face her.

"Yes Tosh?"

"Ianto. He…um…"

"Tosh?"

"He just blinked off tracking radar" she grimaced and Jack felt himself pale. "I am checking the CCTV and it looks like he went down to the docks and released a third drone."

"How, I didn't lift his access" Jack said, glancing at Owen who shrugged as he assured him he hadn't.

"Suzie"

"What?"

"Ianto used Suzie's code to open the doors to the sewer system, he sent a drone out." Tosh said as the drone's recording filled the screen, "He's looking for something. Look. He hasn't waited, but followed about half a kilometre behind the drone. He is heading towards the Tower Bock where he lives."

"What the hell is he going there for!" Gwen snorted, "Everything is gone."

"Shut up Gwen" Jack said as he stepped closer to the screen and watched as after another fifteen minutes the basement flickered into view, the drone slowly rotating and moving forward to look at a large metal door. Then it panned down to a block of wood and up again to the door, moving to the control panel on one side.

"A block of wood" Jack said softly, "why is he interested in that?"

Then they watched the drone land and they continued to wait, glancing at one another with confusion and Jack continued to study the picture of the room that Ianto had been intent on seeking.

"Markings, there are markings on the wood" Jack said to himself leaning closer and running his hand over the screen, "Look, perpendicular gouges in the wood like it's been rubbed against something. No. No, not rubbed, these are contact creases. It's been impacted a lot in ….shit. The door, it's the door stop. Look, the metal door had a lip. It's the edge of the metal door biting at it."

"But why?" Gwen asked.

"Because that's an old bomb shelter Gwen" Jack suddenly rose from his seat to clutch his hair, "That's what he kept trying to tell me, why he was asking about heat levels underground. Shit, this is a sub-basement under his apartment building isn't it, maybe two levels under the dirt."

"Ah shit" Owen sighed, "Are you telling me there could be people in there?"

A flash of movement had them all ceasing their conversation as feet moved past the drone at speed and a Weevil stopped to lean down and stare directly at the camera as Ianto slid around her and started to work on the door panel.

Owen made a noise of alarm "Janet?"


	14. Chapter 14

14

Everyone was silent as they watched the scene unfold, Ianto struggling with the door as Janet paced the room looking for something to tear at, then he turned to watch her and said something that there were no microphones to pick up.

He went to a cupboard and opened it, pulling out a bag and as he turned back to the door Janet started to look into the cupboard, emerging with a rag doll that she seemed well pleased with, stroking it's hair and rocking. Ianto glanced at her and shook his head, opening the bag to reveal some tools.

Then he worked on the panel and the door started to open as Ianto stayed on the ground, his face openly fearful as he called out something. Then there was a flurry of activity as a small child erupted from the darkness and threw himself into Ianto's arms crying hysterically and pulling at him as he struggled to his feet.

Another small child slid out and stood sucking his thumb, his little face full of sorrow and fear as a woman emerged with a third child on her hip, her own face wet as she smiled and leaned in to kiss Ianto and it was obvious to all who were watching that she kept saying his name as he gently embraced her and the child, pausing to kiss the small head.

"Well shit" Owen whispered, "Way to go Tea Boy."

Ianto turned to look at Janet and said something making the two children cower behind the woman as she gaped at the alien being they hadn't noticed before and Ianto disappeared behind the door, emerging a short time later with back packs he placed on each child, then they all watched both in the room and in the Hub with open horror as he calmly walked over to Janet with a large tramping pack and said something.

"No, she won't like that buddy." Owen said nervously and they watched as Ianto opened it and Janet peered into it for a moment then seemed to study Ianto's face, her own mere inches from him.

He gingerly placed the pack on her and adjusted the straps as she clutched the doll, then he made a fuss of the doll and patted her hands, going back into the dark as the Weevil seemed to dance now. Rocking the doll as she gently patted it with one huge clawed hand.

"I tried a doll, I should have gone for a rag one, I got a plastic one and she rejected it. Of course a floppy one would be more realistic, poor old cow." Owen sighed, "Look, she's well made up."

Ianto emerged and Tosh made a noise as he placed packages down and knelt to speak to the children as he undid one, the survival blanket shaken and placed around the shoulders of the frizzy haired one that had been first out. Ianto had placed it facing out, not in and the reversal told them watching that he was going to take the children through somewhere hot.

"Right, dehydration, probably starving unless there was food in there, will need to check the clothing room Jack keeps calling a Wardrobe Room for kid's clothes because knowing Ianto there will be everything a child needs to cover damaged clothing." Owen said as he leaned back.

"Why?" Gwen asked.

"Shit you never thought of that? He has had to stage children's deaths too hasn't he? Redress them in clothing not ripped up? So. They will be hot, tired, hungry, thirsty and terrified of everything especially with a bloody weevil as their security guard, good move that!" Owen was bustling about as he made a list of things to do while preparing for their return "Gwen you say you are the bleeding heart of us, those kids obviously don't all belong to that woman, only one of them is black so the other two have just lost their mamas and will also need comfort. Sort out an area in the Med-bay because we will need to cool them, feed them and comfort them."

"That was a classy move that" Owen said as he pointed at the scene where Ianto as again holding one of the children tenderly as the child cried into his shoulder, "He's used the Weevil map so taking a Weevil ensured he wouldn't have any arguments. Females are larger and more aggressive so anyone coming in the other direction would smell her and immediately take evasive action, he wouldn't even have been registered walking with her. Coming back it another mater, too many of them and no way those kids can stay quiet. He didn't think he would find them did he."

"No, his face when the first child emerged….no. I think he was going to say goodbye, he didn't expect them to still be alive. Look." Tosh pointed as Ianto turned away from the small group as he fumbled with something and the camera watched him close his eyes and take a moment to give thanks, his hand moving to wipe his eyes before he took a deep breath and turned back to the survivors.

Jack wished he could reach through the screen and comfort him.

He should have paid attention when Ianto had asked him for a moment to talk. He should have been there beside him.

Damn, he dropped the ball.


	15. Chapter 15

15

They watched as Ianto lifted the pack he had leant by the door, clipping it on and pulling out a snub nosed pistol which he handed to the woman without a second thought and she turned to face the exit, raising the weapon but he shook his head and said something as he motioned at Janet, then he tugged her leash gently and said something to her before the alien looked at him and considered before moving forward.

They all followed out of frame, then the small black boy who had been sucking his thumb came back, looking at the drone and he picked it up, carrying it as the picture jumped and shuddered about, Ianto coming into view with a smile as he praised the child.

"Good kid" Owen agreed, "Knows the value of a good piece of equipment. Right, it took him about an hour to get there, probably less to get back as he will be moving fast and knows the way now, I say forty-five minutes or less and we have a shitstorm entering the Hub, let's hustle."

Ianto was hot, dirty an slightly frantic as he exploded from the doors forty minutes later into the dock area and Jack stepped back to give him space as the gun in his left hand swung into Jack's face, Janet closely following.

"Easy, it's me" Jack said calmly and the Weevil peeled back her teeth in a display of dominance, then she seemed to wilt as she presented her 'baby' to him and he looked at Ianto for guidance.

"Tell her it's pretty, she likes that word." Ianto said as he pocketed the gun and turned to usher the others in, Owen entering the docks and moving towards them gleefully.

"Pretty baby" Jack repeated several times, "Yes, pretty baby for Mama Janet."

Janet grunted and started to walk away, Owen following sedately as he also praised her and she walked to her cell happily, then let him remove the pack only to growl as he tried to take it. Owen remembered Ianto showing her something in it so he opened it and watched her calmly reach in and remove a handful of MREs before dismissing him.

"Payment is it?" Owen chortled, "You cheeky mare, he bribed you."

He rushed back to find Tosh helping Jack with the woman and two children as the frizzy haired one Ianto kept calling Dendy clung to the Welshman and sobbed. Ianto sat on a crate and allowed the child some grief for a while, then he pulled him back to look into his face.

"Listen mans. You been right proper stand-up, yeah? I's proud of yer, got moxie and showed true colours, yeah?" Ianto said in a guttural way that had the child snuggling as he listened, "Dendy listens."

Ianto's voice changed to the melodic one they knew as he started to explain what had happened out there to the world and the other small child moved away from his mother to stand with a hand on Ianto's shoulder as well, their eyes widening as he said there would be people on the other side of the world that were OK.

"This is not the end of things, OK? This is not Mordor exploding and consuming things while we are trapped on the rock like Sam and Frodo. I am the eagle that swept down and plucked you up, we can go to middle earth…like…really. New Zealand is where Lord of the Rings comes from. It really does look like that, all green and lush. If we can get to a boat that is still capable of working, we can sail there in a matter of a few months. Yeah?"

"Like a cruise?" the little black boy whimpered, "Like…shuffle board and fucking swimming pools?"

Ianto laughed as he shook his head, "Nah, Simon not a cruise ship but something big like maybe a pleasure yacht? Like millionaires have? Yeah? P-Diddy has one right? Like a big apartment on the water? They can move fast too."

"Shit, for reals?"

"I reckon" Ianto nodded, "We are not for sures, need to check things out but we will get out of here. This is not a big grave, we will get out."

"Mama?" Simon tutned to look up at Morena with wide eyes, "Can we go on a big boat?"

"If Ianto sez we can, then I guess we can. Has he ever lied to us?" she said softly, "I trust him."

"Me too" Dendy muttered, "He's our Ianto man. He will get us out of this and to the middle earth place. Yeah. Mandems"

"See all this water here? It's trapped like a big swimming pool" Tosh said to the children, "Over there are steps do it's not deep. How about a swim to feel better and some fresh clothes. Then we will see about something to eat and a cool place to have a lay down, yeah?"

"You're pretty" Dendy blurted and she blushed.

"I have clothes" Gwen said grandly and they looked at her as she waited for a response.

"Right then missus" Dendy finally said with a frown as she deflated.

The little boy had noticed the way Ianto had looked at her and immediately pegged that she was not a friend to him. Any friend of Ianto's is a friend of his.

Someone that isn't?

Can't be trusted.


	16. Chapter 16

16

"But that was because he had Janet, we can't take her with us when we go on the boat" Gwen argued, "we have those kids now who will make a lot of noise and attract Weevils too."

Ianto was stunned to silence, gaping at her as Tosh blinked and Owen started to rise out of his seat.

"Janet comes with" Jack said calmly, "We will release Myfanwy when it's dark and she will find her own way as she did before we came along."

Owen sat again and started to fan himself as he glared at her and Ianto took a deep breath as he fanned his hands out on the table.

"The main thing is to make them comfortable and for us all to get some rest" Jack said as he watched Ianto's eyelid tic at the corner, "Now we know the drones work we can see how far we can get before we lose transmission, the further the better. Also we need to assess what we are taking what we need to collect along the way and what we need to leave behind. Janet is on the TAKING list. Ianto, can I have a word in private please when we are done here with the debrief?"

"Yes sir"

Gwen huffed as she folded her arms and looked at Ianto with triumph for some weird reason and Ianto looked at the table until they were done and everyone left the room except for him and Jack, the silence as stifling as the heat.

"I think we should check the air topside to see if we can vent" Jack said softly and Ianto looked up, finding him closer than he had realised as the heat had masked his usual sensual musk.

"Dependent on fallout" Ianto said and Jack nodded.

"Exactly, why I want the check to be covert. Go up to the tourist office and check the gauges by the door. See if it is safe or not." Jack said as he sat on the desk and looked down at him. "Also needs to be done before we release your leather bird."

"There will be another problem" Ianto said as he turned his head to look down at Gwen as she shot back into the cool room. "Little Miss I'm Busy is going to want to travel topside if she can and we can't. There will be bodies out there that have been in the sun, cooking. The stench will be unbearable and I don't want those kids to see what happened to the world, not all of it. We can't control much right now but I would like to…"

Jack leaned in and kissed him, gentle and loving as his hands slid around Ianto's jaw to cup his face, more kisses and then their foreheads together as they stilled.

"That was ballsy and I should have been with you" Jack whispered, "I know why you moved like that, I am sorry you felt there was not backup, I am here. Right here. I am sorry I took my eyes off the ball, OK?"

"I'm sorry" Ianto whispered and Jack's arms slid down to cradle him against him, "Oh Jack, I'm sorry."

"Hey, you got them out and they are a real balm, look at that one" Jack said and they watched Owen race across the Hub with the two boys following, towels around their shoulders as he led them to the cool room and laughter echoed as he acted the goat with them.

"Dendy looks to you" Jack pointed out, "His Da been gone a long time?"

"Yeah. OD" Ianto nodded "She's been doing it on her own, shit. She did it on her own. He will know she's gone. Her spot under the bridge had no protection and that time of the morning she would have been staggering home. He knows but will not say anything yet. A slow burner that one, his temper is fierce and quick but his sorrow…always swallows it down."

"Like you"

"Yeah. He's a lot like me" Ianto nodded "Simon is a good kid, I vaguely know the little baby. She belongs to a girl that works one of the truck stops. God. Morena is a good girl, she will raise them as her own, no problems."

"We all will now" Jack answered, "They are all we have now, gotta protect them."

"21st Century, when it all changes" Ianto whispered.

"And we better be ready" Jack smiled, rising to head down, "You head up and I will go down there to distract them. Let's get something done and then feel worth a feed and a snooze."

"Oh and Ianto?"

Ianto turned and looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Don't listen to Gwen. You more than earned it, OK? Always. You more than earn your place."

Ianto smiled as he headed up to check the levels.


	17. Chapter 17

17

Ianto slid in next to Jack and touched his thigh softly, Jack turning to listen as he spoke softly into his ear and then he nodded. Gwen watched intently.

Jack then straightened up as Ianto moved over to the bed made of mattresses where the kids were and they moved eagerly with hopeful looks, making room for him between them. "Where's your Mama?"

"Bubba had a nappy to be done" Simon said and Ianto nodded. "Too smelly for down here."

"Tell me little dude, I keep forgetting the bub's name. You know I am shit at names" Ianto whispered loudly.

"Bella"

"Ah, that's right" Ianto flopped back and Simon sighed, rising to go seeking his mama and the baby. Gwen rose and left the room as Ianto drifted with Dendy until he was sure he was asleep and then he decided to go check Janet, worried that she might be thirsty after that dried food.

He saw Simon ahead and was about to call out when the chid seemed to stagger back and he fell, Ianto hurrying to catch him and he lowered the child to the floor with confusion, "Simon?"

Ianto looked up and Gwen was there, "Is he OK? Did the heat get to him? Give him here, I will see to him. His mama is just next to Janet, I'll take care of things you go back up."

Ianto watched her gather the child gently as he rose, about to thank her when he smelt it.

Blood.

He looked at the child then saw the bloom slowly spreading on the child's chest and he gasped as he reached out but the soft puff of sound surprised him mere moments before the burning pain to his hip that had him crying out as he fell to his knees, his hand slapping over his hip only to come away wet.

"Gwen?" he looked at the blood on his hand with open confusion.

"I wish you had gone back up, we need you for a little while longer" she sighed, "Of only you kept your nose out of things that didn't concern you, this would all be a lot easier."

"Ianto?" Morena came out of the empty cell with the baby in her arms and she looked down at him with confusion, "What are you doing down there?"

Gwen swung the gun up and another puff had Morena making a small noise of surprise as her knees gave way, her eyes glazing as she fell to her side and the baby rolled from her arms across the floor as it started to scream with fear.

"Gwen" Ianto choked, "no, no. Ahhhh, Gods, no. What are you doing?"

"Too many mouths, too many noises" she hissed as she kicked at the child on the floor by her feet, "We need silence to travel those tunnels, these are dinner bells to weevils, do you really think I will risk my safety fur someone else's brat?"

Ianto started to shake as he reached for Simon, his fingers telling him what he already knew. The lack of pulse not a surprise, not really.

"Oh Gwen no" he sobbed, pulling the limp little body into his arms as he started to rock, stroking the little boy's hair, "Oh Gods."

He looked at the bindle at her feet and moved towards her only to have Gwen raise the weapon again.

"Oh no you don't" she sang as she grinned at him, "Rhys is gone. I see that now. I see. I need a man who will protect me care for me and get me to safety. These people are not part of the package. Don't you see Ianto? Jack is mine, always was and with Rhys gone I can now give myself to him freely. I guess when you come to think of it, you aren't that needed after all."

Ianto looked at the baby again, inching his hand towards it and she savagely stomped on it, his scream echoing as he drew back. "Gwen, please. Not the baby. She is just a wee baban. Come on, what would your mother say?"

"Nothing" Gwen snorted, "She's dead too."

Gwen turned to look down dispassionately at the baby and she sighed as she moved her hand and she was about to shoot when a noise made her pause, then turn to find Janet mere inches from her face, the snarling fangs dripping drool onto her shoes.

"So, you planned to kill them with a silencer and make it look like Janet did it" Jack said sadly form the cell door to Janet's home, "You forgot to lock this again when you heard Ianto coming. You killed them for what Gwen? Me? You? What makes you more important? Oh gods."

Ianto straightened up and looked past her to Janet, "Janet Love, she is going to hurt the baby, look, look what she did to Simon Sez and his mama."

Janet's head swung as she looked at the bodies and then she focused on Gwen again as the baby started to cry again.

"She wants to kill the baby" Ianto repeated, his eyes now on Jack as they stood like bookends to the madness.

Janet went still, her growling and snarls ceasing as she became as a statue before Gwen and Gwen's bladder loosened, the stain spreading as she saw something in the weevil's eyes she had never seen before, an intelligence that seemed to study and judge.

Janet swung.


	18. Chapter 18

18

Jack didn't want to leave him but knew he must, rising from where he had cradled Ianto and heading up to fetch Owen as Janet crooned at the bundle she now had hold of, her level of intensity off the charts as the baby girl stopped crying and reached up to stroke the hideous face. Ianto knew she wouldn't hurt it, knew she was a good mama, Owen had said so. He lay while trying to staunch the blood flow and he kept Simon's body tucked against him as he whispered his apologises for not being quicker, not saving him after all.

Owe stood and gaped at the mess, then he sighed and stepped over the bodies of the two women, the unrecognisable pulp obviously Gwen from the shoes. He knelt by Ianto who looked up at him with huge eyes, "She killed them. Owen, Gwen killed them."

"Gwen" Owen repeated, looking again at the mess, "Not Janet?"

A huff had him looking past Ianto and he saw Janet standing in the shadows behind him with the baby in her arms, "Shit."

"Gwen decided they were a risk and might call Weevil to us while traversing the tunnel system" Ianto said and the choice of words alerted Jack who crouched and pulled Ianto against him to soothe, "She killed Simon Sez, she just shot him. His mama saw, poor Morena saw her little boy dead, how do I fix this? Owen, how do I fix it?"

Owen looked into Ianto's eyes as he pressed the compress to the wound, "By making sure Dendy survives to tell his children what happened here. About his friend Simon Sez and the mad bitch that almost cost us our lives."

Ianto sobbed involuntarily and brought his hand up to cover his mouth then grimaced as he saw it covered with blood, "Is that mine or his?"

"Oh Ianto" Jack soothed as he felt despair at not being able to help, "It's all yours. I know that. All the hurt and loss and pain down here is yours and you will carry it inside deep down where I can't fix it won't you."

"I saved them, I got them out like I promised." Ianto cried, his head falling against Jacks shoulder, "What do I do now? I have to go tell him this? He's all that's left?"

"And the Baby" Owen nodded at Janet "If she gives her back, there are two children still Ianto. Two sparks of hope."

"Yeah" Ianto nodded, trying to focus "Yeah, right. Fucker, did you just…"

Ianto went limp as Owen pulled the needle back out of his thigh and Jack looked at him gratefully as he gathered the unconscious man into his arms. They walked up with Owen moving ahead to warn Tosh that Dendy was going to need to be somewhere else for a while.

"Well, I was going to check the levels" she said as she saw blood on his cuffs, "Dendy? Want to fly a drone in the dark up there?"

Tosh nodded at Owen and took the child to play with one of the drones in an area already mapped so there would be no bodies or undue upset and she looked back in time to se Jack emerge with Ianto in his arms. She assumed it was heat exhaustion and sighed, poor man was working himself to death. Must have split the stitches on his arm, poor boy.

Owen felt immense relief as he saw the crease did not contain the bullet, a clean through and through. He cleaned and dressed the wound then cleaned up as Jack moved Ianto to the mattress in the corner that was designated for the family, knowing that they had to be family for that little boy now.

Owen left to go see if Janet would give up the baby or had eaten it, not surprised to find she had pulled her blanket from her cell and covered Simon while keeping guard over the little boy.

"Thanks sweetheart" Owen sighed, "Bad business this, eh? Bad business all round. Too damned hot for the bloody incinerator to run how and I going to get rid of this mess? I could put them into drawers in the basement but Gwen is in bits. You really want to…hang on. Where's her arm?"

Janet stared at him silently and he started to snigger, "Girl, did you pinch some for later?"

Janet seemed to shrug, then go back to rocking the baby.

"Sweetheart, you saw Ianto was hurt and you were a good girl to watch over him for me. He's going to be fine, I know you like him I think we all do bar this bitch here. Look, I know you love the baby and all but it would make him happy to see her, you will see her too because I promise she can come and be with you but I need to check she isn't hurt. OK?"

Owen had no idea if she even registered him talking let alone if she understood so it was with a solemn dignity that hid his excitement as she reached across the little boy' body and placed the baby gently into his arms.

"Good girl, good girl Janet. Eat all of the bitch if ya want."


	19. Chapter 19

19

Dendy knew something bad had happened when the short rat faced bastard come over to whisper into the ear of the pretty lady with the swishy hair. Her face changed and he immediately thought Ianto was dead.

Had to be right?

Nothing else would be worse right now so with his track record of shit it had to be the one last cool person in his world was gone, the last bit of safety. It was kind of a relief to find it wasn't the case although Simon Sez instead was a bit of a kick on the gonads. He had left the little lady fumbling about and slipped down the levels as he followed the rat faced bastard to where the mess was, the big alien thing with the baby and Simon and his Mama laying all broken. Shit.

Owen turned to look at the child standing there glaring back and slumped, so much of being covert. Right, down to him was it? Fuck.

"Right, so the bitch with the big tits went loco and shot everyone" Owen said calmly, "She wanted to escape with just a few of us as protection, didn't want to share any provisions or safety with you lot."

"Where's Ianto Man?"

"Upstairs. He's on your bed asleep, she shot him but only winged him like…just a bit." Owen tried to keep it simple as he admired the kid's poise, only fists at his little sides to show panic. "Ianto will be fine. Pissed as all hell no doubt but fine. The baby is too, see? Wanna take her up so I can clean this mess up?"

"What happened to Simon Sez and his Ma?"

"I will put them in a special room full of the bodies of good people. A morgue for those we cared for, mostly Torchwood agents like us. I think they deserve to lie there too." Owen nodded and he watched the child lean to one side, looking behind him so he turned to see Janet leisurely wandering off while puling Gwen's corpse by the leg. "Ah. Well, I told her she could play with that."

"Fair enough" the little man shrugged, not the first time he had seen death, wouldn't be the last. After all, stabbings, ODs and even the occasional shooting was commonplace in his world, his Mama always told him that death stalked close by.

He carried the baby up and handed her to the Captain who accepted her with surprise and then he went over to stare into Ianto's face as he slept, crouching on the bed by the pillows with their faces almost touching.

"Lay down and stop hovering, you make me think Death is here" Ianto whispered softly and the little boy snorted as he saw how much like him this man was. He lay carefully trying not to jiggle the man as he lay so still.

"Hurt?"

Ianto fluttered a hand by his hip and Dandy nodded, glad he was the other side as he chose a pillow and snuggled in, "Theys dead."

"Yeah" Ianto sighed.

"Death done plucked them up"

"He does that. Like leaving our toys in the landing and when you come back they are gone" Ianto spoke softly and the boy hummed his agreement, "Doesn't mean you didn't love that toy, just means he wanted it."

"Yeah. Prick isn't he"

"Yes mate."

"Is he waiting for me too?"

Ianto grimaced and swallowed thickly before answering "Yes. He waits for us all."

Jack did not correct him, not the time to place for such a discussion with the little one but he knew the time would come when this beautiful boy must die too and it broke his heart. His handsome Welshman.

Jack looked down at the baby and smiled as he stroked her cheek, a bruise forming from her connecting with the floor and he felt his stomach roll as the shock wore off and he realised what had just happened.

Millennium all over again only this time he had been here, he had managed to stop it.

Ianto rolled and sighed as sleep took hold and Jack looked back down at the baby as he decided this was going to be a good thing, they were going to make all of this a good thing. If nothing else he was a good conman, right? What good is a conman that can't pull shit together and shake some glitter on it to call it a fucking masterpiece?

As Jack looked down at the little princess who was smiling up at him despite the sorrows of the day he knew he had to do this.

Time to sprinkle some glitter.

Time to shine.


	20. Chapter 20

20

Jack seemed energized, almost manic as he discussed different aspects of the plan with each person.

As they had slept he had been working and the wall was covered in a map, scribbles and lists. Ianto watched Jack as he argued with Owen about medical supplies and sighed, looking at the little boy who was pulling on his dirty socks then rising to search for food.

"Dendy man, come help me get breakfast and then we can do a list too" Ianto said bravely, more confident than he felt, "If we are doing this you and I need to be in charge of the food because we know how important a good meal is."

"Yep" he nodded happily skipping up the stairs, then he turned back "It's not hot."

"Night time little man" Ianto smiled, "Looks like we done slept the afternoon away."

"Mandems"

They headed up and Ianto started the little fella carrying cereal and stuff down as he made a mental note of what was moveable and what they had to leave behind. Ianto sighed as he stared at the coffee machine, his heart sinking with the knowledge he would have to say goodbye to her.

"Hey"

Ianto turned to find Jack behind him, sliding close with a wide grin Jack kissed him before whispering, "You OK?"

"Yeah" Ianto nodded, "Have you been at the sugar? I thought we were rationing that."

Jack placed his forehead against Ianto's for a moment, then sighed, "There are two children down there who need positive action, three if ya count Owen. We have to do this, get it right or die trying."

"So, we are moving forward with this?" Ianto leaned back, "The boat and the long voyage? You know Owen gets sea sick in the harbour."

"Can't we just knock him out?" Jack whined and Ianto smiled, a flower in a desert "You are so beautiful."

"Stop that, a man isn't beautiful, he's handsome" Ianto scolded and Jack shook his head.

"Nah, you are beautiful to me" Jack argued, kissing him again.

"What has gotten into you?"

"Hope" Jack said with confidence, "We will do this, we will get through this and I will not leave you, OK? Right here, hoping for some more cuddles."

Ianto smiled softly and reached up to cup Jack's face, "I want that too."

"Then we need a boat, a nice big one with room for all of us, room for Dendy to run about confidently and we need to move" Jack said as he pulled away and Ianto nodded his agreement, then pulled back farther as Owen bustled into the room.

"Don't mind me, just after a drink" Owen said without blinking, "You two need to talk, work things out I know that. Not everything is Torchwood."

"I love Ianto" Jack said and Ianto froze with his eyes wide, slightly deer in the headlights style, "We have private moments because I need his support. Owen, from here on out we all need some clarity. Ianto and I are a team as much as all of us are and there are times I will look to him for agreement or guidance. There are times I might to look to you as well, but without the butt squeezing obviously."

"There ya go again" Owen chortled, "Build a man up just to break him down!"

They laughed softly as Owen left and Jack turned back to Ianto, "Are you OK with that?"

"Yeah, yes. Yes" Ianto nodded with a soft blush, "Thank you, I mean…I know you hate commitments and declarations and stuff, I think that is the most you have ever said about us."

"Sorry, I don't like the word couple, never have. It means I do the dishes while you bank the fire, or you bath the kids while I call the mistress to say I will be late, ya know?" Jack frowned "It's so…so…provincial?"

"The word you are looking for is nomnal and yes, a couple is a normal thing" Ianto smiled, "Horrifying thought, even being considered normal, I mean to say…how boring is that."

"Ianto you are many things but I will never consider you boring" Jack smiled, then perked up "Yay, the princess cries!"

Ianto laughed as Jack took off for the baby, now ready to wrestle Tosh and sit to enjoy the little smiles and noises of a full tum. He has missed burping a baby even if she was old enough to burp herself when she was finished her bottle. Good thing the weevils drank human milk so they had formula.

Ianto watched him go and looked back around the kitchen, time to stop thinking about it and time to get it sorted.

Ianto went to see where Owen had gone, time to send a drone as far as they could, the Penarth Marina might have dry docked a vessel in one of their huge enclosed facilities. If it didn't burn, if it was salvageable, if it was watertight, if….if….if…

Life goes on.


	21. Chapter 21

The drone sank into the dry storage area of the Marina Complex and Owen held his breath as he saw four vessels, one looking promising.

"Jack?"

Jack moved closer to look at the screen and he patted Owen on the shoulder "good work. Yes, that looks perfect and thank god it's near the doors. It looks like being near the cool water saved the ones inside the berthage. Right. Let's aim for that."

"I'm not stupid" Owen said softly "We have checked the air levels and there is no radiation is there. I saw Ianto stalking up to the tourist office a couple of times and the aviary is open. Don't bullshit me, we could travel above ground."

"Yes Owen, the air is safe. The power plant did not release mass radiation as we had feared. It is safe to walk up there amongst all those bloated, rotting, burnt bodies." Jack said blandly, "Do you suggest we drug Dendy for the journey so he doesn't see and explain away the stench lingering on our clothes as just sweat?"

"Shit" Owen grimaced, "I didn't think of that. Shit."

"Yeah. The other little problem is the possibility of others having the same idea, we have no idea how many people are starting to move about and some will definitely not be friendly. Let's not forget UNIT have underground facilities, I don't see them knocking on our door to ask if we are OK." Jack nodded, "I want to get out of Dodge. OK? We move through the tunnels system. Also, Ianto pointed out the fact there will be vehicles everywhere so we would be walking anyway."

"Yeah, yeah" Owen nodded then slumped, "I hate bloody water. I will have to bring my sea legs."

"Look, stop saying that. I know you mean meds but I get this image of you with prosthetic legs or something" Jack snorted and Owen poked out his tongue.

"We need to be realistic here, we are looking at about six weeks at sea with these kids, do you think Janet can be contained?" Jack asked, "If we can lock her in one of the storage areas, do you think we can or is it best to release her?"

"I would rather take her" Owen pouted, "They would kill her, in time they would as she is too domesticated now, stinks of us. Six weeks? Really?"

"Could we do it?"

"Yeah, I think so"

"This is a luxury yacht with three levels including a crew and guest quarters. If we make one of the crew cabins into a Janet home then the guest quarters will do for the rest of us" Owen said happily, "A 50 metre yacht like that sweetheart will have berths for ten to fourteen people"

"I know it's bit but on the open sea bigger is better, we have no idea how rough the seas might be with the solar flares upsetting things, they have stopped thank the gods but tides and such might be affected." Jack rubbed his face then stretched, "Where did that Welshman slide off to now?"

"Kid watching" Owen whispered "Look."

They both watched Ianto creep around the plastic of the med bay until he found a good vantage point then he knelt and watched those down below.

"What is he doing?" Owen asked after a while.

"Worrying" Jack sighed softly, "He is terrified that we won't make it to the boat, then he will be worried we won't' get it launched, then he will worry that the voyage will be too hard. On and on, Ianto worries."

"He did a good job getting them back, fuck I am still so angry about Gwen. That poor little boy and his Mama. He was such a cool wee dude." Owen grumbled, "I am glad she's gone. Sorry, but I am. Can you imagine the whinging and whining as we travel? How long before she would have tossed them overboard and then said they fell?"

"Ianto will blame himself" Jack agreed, "Ah hell. He's moving around on that bloody hip. I forgot, it must hurt like hell."

"High pain threshold, kids that were abused usually grow to passive aggressive adults that hide their feelings and don't register pain the same" Owen explained, "His Da hit him right? He also grew up a wee thug with the ability to blend into the shadows."

"I want to travel first, check it out before we move the kids. I want to make sure it is fuelled up, it can be moved and we are not travelling all that way only to be stuck in another bunker." Jack said softly and Owen sighed.

"You want to go alone, he won't let you ya know" Owen said and Jack nodded.

"No, I won't" Ianto said and they both jumped like naughty children with their hands in the cookie jar, "We can go when they are asleep, be back by daybreak. Spend the day preparing them and packing up here, then at night we travel again. If we take a pack each now it will be less to move next visit."

"You knew I was going to suggest this" Jack accused.

Ianto shrugged.

No need to say anything really.


	22. Chapter 22

22

They moved in silence, Janet happy to have another outing and it was clear she liked Ianto as he walked alongside her like they were three friends on a lark.

The boat was huge, larger than it had appeared with the drone and Ianto was pleased to find the sleeping quarters were more than adequate for everyone including Janet. Ianto also tried to contain himself as he found supplies on the other vessels that were easily pilfered…er…borrowed. Jack knew it was now or never so he took a deep breath and blurted it out before he lost his nerve "I want us to have the Captain's Quarters together, I mean…I want you in there with me. Not separate. I need you…"

Ianto silenced him with a kiss, sparingly demanding as he pushed Jack back into the bed and they were soon naked and exploring each other as the world turned slowly, the cool air on their skin so lovely.

"I smell" Ianto whispered.

"We will have some naughty, filthy sex and then go to that boat over there for a shower, the water tank was still half full" Jack whispered as he hooked a thumb over his shoulder, "We have a full tank so we don't need to take any more and I really want to christen this berth with you."

Ianto kissed him again, his hands sliding around Jack's waist to encourage him closer, their bodies sliding into a familiar dance. It was a dance of celebration, a dance of life, survival and hope. Both men cried out lustily as they came, Ianto holding Jack tenderly as he struggled with his emotions and it was Ianto who spoke first.

"I'm sorry about Gwen. It brought Alex back didn't it?"

"Yeah" Jack felt tears threatening and buried his face in Ianto's neck, "I hate having to be strong all the time, the one in charge. I'm just another con man floundering about with a game face on, ya know?"

"It's OK. Let's take this time to grieve, to be weak but can we do it in the shower?" Ianto whispered after a while, "I can literally feel that water."

Jack laughed and helped Ianto up, watching with glee as Ianto ran across the boat yard with his hands cupping his manhood, looking about like there might be a ninja squad about to attack as Jack leisurely walked behind him. So sweet.

The shower was wonderful, the shampoo great too and the blow job as Ianto crouched to let the water rinse his hair while showing Jack that he had faith in him was fulfilling too.

Jack held Ianto once they were dressed, still wanting reassurance and Ianto stroked his face as he told him that it was OK, they were OK and please be strong a little longer. We will be on the boat soon. We will be away from here and out in the middle of nowhere. You don't have to be the Captain, you can be Jack.

"Thank you Ianto" Jack whispered as they collected Janet from the room they had shut her in, her glee at tearing things apart making the old sofa look like it had snowed.

"Don't mention it sir" Ianto said happily, "We are in this together, right?"

"What about Dendy and the bub" Jack said as they started to walk, "the Captain's Berth has the two rooms. You think they can share? Or will Dendy want his own room?"

"We will see how we go" Ianto said as they entered the dark, "Maybe at first he will want to be close until he realises it's safe out there. We will give him the choice, make the connecting berth a day room and he can then stay to sleep if he wants. I don't know about the baby. Do you want the baby? Or offer Tosh?"

Jack made a noise then flapped his hands, "I love her. She's gorgeous. I'm keeping her OK?"

"Jack, did I do the right thing? I mean, he would be dead by now with the heat. Did I save him only to have him suffer?" Ianto whispered as his hand sought Jack's and Jack felt a surge of affection in the action.

"We will save him again and again. Both of them" Jack assured him, "Ianto, look at me."

He pulled Ianto around to face him in the dark, the only light from the torch Jack faced up toward the ceiling.

"Sir? Are you gonna tell a camp story?"

Jack snorted, "Cheeky beggar, no. I want to you know I am proud of you, of your strength and calm. Things might get hairy but know I will always trust you. I will always go with a plan, OK? Just don't go without me again."

"Agreed"

Jack kissed him then Janet made a noise of disgust.

"Just because you lot don't kiss" Jack snorted, "Gods, I got an image. Damn it."

Ianto laughed and they walked back, a distant growl answered by Janet now and then. They now had a plan, they knew the doors would open, they knew the boat was fully stocked and they knew they could get out of this place.

Ianto finally felt the weight lifting.


	23. Chapter 23

23

Ianto was chewing on something and he knew it needed to be said so he waited until Jack headed to the bathroom and followed him there.

"Hey" Jack said softly, "Again?"

"Stop it!" Ianto scolded with a gentle shove "No, I think you almost wreaked me already. No. I mean, yes. Later. Really! God. Stop it."

Jack loved the bluster as Ianto looked so young and cheeky, pulling him in for a kiss "OK, what then Tiger?"

"We are going to be weeks….like….months on that boat right? I know we have a lot of supplies and it's all good but we also have two children and a woman. Er….sanitary things? Nappies? Toys? Er….you know we pass right under a shopping centre…I know I agreed no topside but if it's just the two of us on a quick recon?" Ianto grimaced as Jack considered knowing Ianto made sense.

"I know the one you mean, the Toy Barn is near the centre of the complex so the heat might not have fried everything. Ianto, there might be people in there" Jack warned and Ianto nodded.

"The sewer comes up into the underground parking level for deliveries. Any people we abort. We can't risk others and we know help is coming …slowly. No, we are getting out, we have a plan and are sticking to it I just think we need to allow for those extras we need" Ianto shrugged.

Jack considered then sighed "Not without them knowing. No more secrets and besides, there might be more things we need that they haven't said anything about thinking there is no way to get them."

Soon there was a list as Tosh hugged Ianto and whispered her thanks for him thinking of her like that, her supply had been checked and even with Gwen's from her bottom drawer Tosh had resigned herself to homemade sanitary pads in her future.

"I want to go with" Owen said, his arms folded defiantly, "what will you do with Janet while you are hunting about? You know she will wander off. You need her for security, you both need to go up and I will need to stay with her to keep the way clear for you to come back down the ladder. Tosh stays here with the kids, sorry Toots I don't mean to sound sexist but Janet will behave for me. We need a trial run anyway, just you two have gone unnoticed, me as well will make the other Weevil take more interest and I would rather know if we need shock sticks before the kids are involved."

"Fair play" Ianto nodded, "I agree. Although, shock sticks should be carried as well, we might need those on the boat."

"OK then, if you think" Jack replied to Ianto, "You divvy up the jobs or do we move together up top?"

"I know it would go faster if we split up but I would be spending the entire time bricking it that I couldn't find you or something. Besides, together we can be sure of what we are getting" Ianto admitted.

"Good, I would be worrying about you too" Jack smiled, "Together then."

"If we find people I will find it hard to walk away. I know we have to, I mean the mall has food, bottled water … they will last the few months this might take to re-establish things" Ianto said to them "But I feel deeply that we need to move. We need to go. Torchwood here is done, this event has changed everything and we need to be ready. This is it. A fresh start, we will not be a team anymore. From here on out we are a family. Owen, you are my brother and Tosh is my sister. This is how it goes right?"

"OK, but just so ya know, I see you as Mummy and Jack is Daddy, OK?"

Ianto blinked and then snorted, "Owen, I really think it's a shame you were not breastfed, this might not be such an issue otherwise."

"Smartarse" Owen roared with mirth, slapping his leg as he enjoyed feeling alive.

"I know it's not sexist, Janet just prefers men" Tosh smiled, "But I do think for this wee monkey she makes an exception."

Ianto watched the way Tosh cuddled the baby and knew she would have a fight on her hands if she tried to stake a claim, Jack's hands scrabbling against his sides as he fought the urge to snatch her off Tosh. Ianto had long since accepted that he would not have children, would not be a Taddy and as he watched Jack with the baby it became clear that he was getting a second chance there as well, little Dendy sitting on the mattress fiddling with one of Owen's toy aliens already clearly his now.

Ianto found that he was OK with that.


	24. Chapter 24

24

After they had eaten they headed up, the temperatures now more normal as the flaring had stopped and the fires up top seemed localised. They moved quickly, Owen almost disappointed that he didn't get to use his shock stick that Janet was eyeballing.

They climbed the ladder, Ianto enjoying Jack's arse ahead of him and he sniggered as Jack pushed against the grating and let some gas escape, looking back down at him with a look of horror, "Shit. You heard that."

"smell it too" Ianto giggled, "You stinker Sir."

They sniggered and snorted, then the grating finally moved to one side, Jack reaching up to place the small mini drone and then they looked down at Owen who was using the drone to search the area, then he gave a thumbs up and they moved out into the large vehicle bay leaving Owen with Janet.

They moved stealthily towards the bay doors and Ianto made a noise as he smelt the unmistakable stench of death.

"Shit, come close" Jack whispered, pulling Ianto against his back and thy entered the semi-darkness to find bodies lying in the inner loading bay. "Ianto, these have been placed, look at them all facing the same way. Someone moved them here, look alert."

Ianto didn't answer but his hand fisted the back of Jack's coat in a comforting way as they moved further in, more bodies and then they were in the main mall and the smell was lighter. They looked around and listened for movement, finding none they headed to the stores keeping low around the eating area so the tables and chairs helped hide them.

Then they found there was no need to hide.

Three men and a woman were slumped over, their slack features and bloated bodies showing they had been dead for a couple of days.

"So… they moved the bodies and then thought they would wait it out?" Ianto surmised, "They sat and ate the bloody seafood first, poisoned themselves."

"What a shame" Jack agreed, "Ianto, we couldn't have helped them, you know that right?"

"It's OK Jack, I'm OK" Ianto sighed, "Everyone else must have run, tried to get to schools or loved ones. These ones had the ides to dig in, shame they didn't know the dangers of uncooked food."

"Come on love, let's get this done" Jack felt a wave of emotion as he watched Ianto tenderly pull the covers up over the slumped bodies to cover them and give them some dignity. To have come so far, to have tried so hard to fall over a bloody mole hill after conquering a mountain.

Poor buggers.

"Jack!"

Jack realised Ianto had disappeared from sight and his heart was in his mouth as he rushed to a back store to find Ianto clutching frozen peas with glee, "Look Cariad. The bastards hooked up a generator, they have frozens. Oh shit, look!"

Ianto fell to his knees as he yanked things from a small chest freezer that was obviously for a camper van or something, "Oh Jack! CHOCOLATE!"

Ianto clutched a block of dark chocolate with a look of woe, "Her favourite."

"Myfanwy" Jack sighed, "Look I am sorry but you know she can't fly that far and there is no way we can feed her."

"I know" Ianto slumped as he cradled the bar, "I can give her one more treat though, right?"

"Oh sweetheart" Jack knelt and pulled Ianto into his arms, "I am sorry."

"L word" Ianto whispered and Jack grinned, their agreement to never say I Love You being exploited.

"Ditto" Jack sighed as he rubbed Ianto's back and wondered if a few more rules might be with breaking in the end, after al everything was changing as it must and Jack knew he had hold of the most precious thing right now, even if the wee girl felt so right in his lap.

Ianto stood and the moment was lost, the young man bustling off to seek something to move the food with and Jack smiled knowing there would be other moments, hoping for so many more.

"Come on Jack, you're lagging" Ianto teased as he headed for the Baby Barn and Jack laughed as he hurried after him.

"Hey, I wanna pick for my little girl, you get what you want for that feral child of yours!" Jack called happily and they soon had backpacks bulging, then Ianto snorted.

"You know, if we tie a few bags half way down the ladder where the Weevils can't reach then when we come back through tonight we can collect them, right?" Ianto asked and Jack nodded.

"Fair call Tiger" Jack agreed, "A little one for Dendy too? He might feel more important if he had a school bag or something."

"Ah, good idea. His toys and things at the Hub need to…shit. Right. We take what we have to the boat, come back and collect some empty bags as well as leave a few full bags on the ladder. Then we can pack the stuff we need in the hub onto the hovers and come back along here, collect the bags and get it all done." Ianto frowned as he considered things, "Should have brought one of the hovers now. Never thought."

"Ianto, hey. No looking back. It's all ash back there. Right? We agree to never look back, never think twice. Yes? No regret. Move on, forward. Yeah?" Jack whispered even though they were the only ones there.

Ianto smiled and then he did it.

"Yes my Love."


	25. Chapter 25

25

They were moving, Dendy trying to be brave even if his torch light shook as it tracked Jack's boots along the ground in front of him. Jack was touched that he saw Jack as a good protector, Ianto wanting to lag behind with his gun trained to their flanks in case a Weevil took the chance of a slash and run. Tosh carried the baby and Owen pushed the large Archive Hover as Jack pushed another used for transporting bodies, Webley in one hand as the other pushed.

Ianto also wanted to be last as he was still a little raw from his goodbye to Myfanwy, stoically explaining to her as she cooed and snapped at the chocolate. She had then stared at him with one beady eye, her breath soft against him before she flew off up onto the rafters and he opened her gates, watching her disappear into the darkening sky.

"She knows" Ianto had said softly as he watched her go, "She will come back to an empty Hub and she will wait a few days, then she will leave. She knows."

Now he walked in silence, his mind whirring as he imagined her confusion, then sorrow. She would mourn, he knew she would and then she would go kill something. God, he hopes there are enough livestock she might find to eat, I mean….in the lush countryside surely some deer and stuff survived hiding in the glen? Right?

He was idly wondering if she ate anything else when he heard a noise to their left and knew by Janet's low rattle that it was another Weevil, swinging to watch the male scuttle forward, then hesitate as she barred her teeth menacingly.

Tosh tightened her hold in Bella, her breath quickening to match her heart as she slid behind Jack and Owen who were moving to cover her and Dendy.

"Mandems" Dendy said softly to Owen, "He's uglier than her. Thought you said the girls were the ugly ones mate?"

They continued and got to the boatyard ladder, Ianto sighing as Janet eagerly turned and headed for the room she was in last time, no doubt intending to kill the sofa some more, "No love. Up again, into this one."

She stared at him, then looked up at the huge pleasure boat as Owen whispered softly, his own eyes widening as he drank in how big it was, so much bigger than he thought.

"Is that a helipad on the roof of the cabin?" he asked with wonder.

"Yeah, she's fully contained, in rough seas she can be closed airtight, safe as houses" Jack assured them all, "Ianto and I have been over her and agree she is the best. Room for all of us, room to move about and for Dendy to spread out some of the stuff we got him in a room as a playroom."

Owen's face lit up and Ianto smiled as he watched Owen rush to entice Janet up the ladder.

"Tosh, this might be a bit scary for Dendy" Ianto said softly once Owen was out of earshot, "No power means no electrical doors. Jack is going to have to remove the plugs and smash some windows to let the water flood this dry dock before opening the doors. Then he has to swim for the boat and Dendy doesn't know about his gift. With the other boats floating about and gods knows what else is in the water out there Jack could be in danger. I would like you to keep them all below."

"Including Owen" she guessed.

"He will want to help and be a hindrance if we have to move fast. I can drive this thing, I can pilot one this large as I have been trained for all large ships from a small speeder to a tug. Jack thought it wise for a Bay cleanup. Good thing too" Ianto smiled, "Owen will try to follow Jack and drown, or try to help me and I will be forced to shoot him."

She snorted as she agreed, moving towards the ladder.

"I'll have Bella" Jack said snatching the baby, "I can climb with one arm."

"Or just use the front pack we got from the store" Ianto said blandly as Tosh giggled at Jack's possessiveness.

"Oh. Right."

"Come on Cariad, quickest done soonest forgotten and moved on from" Ianto sighed, Jack pulling him close.

"Hey, it's OK. We are OK. I will be OK" Jack assured him and Ianto nodded as he grimaced, "Hey, look at me. I will not leave you. If we are separated I will find you, I will always come back. You are my first concern. You are my lighthouse, I will see your light anywhere. OK?"

"Jack please" Ianto whispered, "Just come back quickly, I will brick it."

"Promise Tiger" Jack smiled softly as Ianto looked at him with same the vulnerability as the little one down below currently crowing over the Lego boxes Ianto had placed in the cabins.

Jack kissed him for luck.

Ianto took some too.


	26. Chapter 26

26

"Owen, I need your help" Ianto hissed, getting his attention immediately and Owen slid over to lean in to listen to the hushed voice of his friend.

"I'm worried about Janet. Tosh is too, she won't admit it but I think she is scared Janet will rampage when the boat floats and she feels movement. Tosh is going to keep the kids below, she is just scared Janet is too close if she has a brain fart. I know it's asking a lot but you know I trust you with my life right?"

Owen leaned back and nodded, his face one of concern.

"Owen can you please watch over them below? Make sure Tosh feels safe? Dendy will take his cue from her as she is the Mama now, if she panics he will too. Then Bella and Janet hearing a baby in distress might tear this place apart." Ianto went for gold, "You are the only one she listens to. You are her favourite human, besides you know she has feelings for you. Tosh."

Owen nodded sagely as he agreed, "What about Jack though?"

"He will have to suck it up" Ianto shrugged, "The babies are our first and only concern right now. I don't want Tosh to know, she is embarrassed to be so…. Girly about it."

Ianto grimaced internally and said a mental apology to Tosh for such blasphemy knowing full well she will be staunch but it didn't hurt to give Owen a little comfort. Right?

Then for phase two.

"Tosh?" Ianto called as he entered the cabin to find Dendy on the floor with Bella ripping at the bags of toys.

"Ianto, this place is like a bloody house!" she said happily.

"Tosh, I need a favour, a big ask" Ianto chose a seat, "It's Owen. You know he will want to help. The problem is…well. No computers, no power. The manual flood gates need to be opened and then once we are free-floating the doors will have to be opened. We both know Owen can't swim even though he denies it. He will want to go with Jack and Jack will have to save his skinny wee arse. You know what he's like, wee man syndrome to the hilt. I've told him I am worried about Janet freaking out with the motion of the boat when it floats, he looked so relieved to have an excuse to stay down here. Also….look, I shouldn't be speaking out of school but you know he has feelings for you. I think he wants to be near you, ya know. Like…you comfort him."

Tosh blushed prettily as she considered and she looked down at her lap to hide the wide smile Ianto had seen appearing, even as her hair swished around her face to help cover the shy glee.

"I just need for you to help him feel important and like he made the right choice to come down here all macho and shit. I know you can handle things, probably better than him but he also …you know…" Ianto gestured at the children on the floor "He wants them to see him as a Grup."

"You can count on me Ianto" she placed her hand on his arm as she smiled softly and nodded her acceptance of the task, "I know he will panic if Jack goes under even with Jack's gift."

"What gift?"

Ianto looked down at the child he was fast starting to consider his and smiled, "Swims like a bloody fish."

"Thought so" Dendy went back to the box of Lego, "Anything he can't do?"

"Can't hit the laundry basket with his socks" Ianto answered and the little one snorted with mirth as he lay to talk to Bella, his hands stoking her fuzzy hair lovingly.

Tosh's face softened as she watched and Ianto kissed her cheek quick then rose before she could react "Good, Aunty Tosh here will watch you horrible brats while I watch the mad Captain swim about and complain about the cold water."

"OK" Dendy said happily and Tosh shone with delight.

Ianto headed back up and nodded to Jack to let him know it was on, game set and Owen slapped him on the shoulder as he said to Jack, "Just gonna stand by Janet while we do this. Ya know she likes my singing."

"He sings to her?" Jack asked with shock.

"Yep" Ianto smiled as he stated to climb off the boat to help Jack uncouple it from it's dry dock cradle. At least the other boats would stay attached to theirs and the only things to worry about would be the tools and such that would float from the benches and floor of the building. Can't be helped.

Jack kissed Ianto and then ran for the control panel by the door as Ianto clambered back on board, his hands itching to get things underway. Then he realised they hadn't considered the fact the main engines couldn't be used in case they sucked in the debris.

He looked at the control board and saw a small auxiliary engine for manoeuvring while in port and sighed with relief. That would do. If they killed it then it wouldn't matter, the large turbines would still be safe.

Jack gave a whistle and began pumping the hand lever that opened the sluice gates and the place began to flood. As Jack climbed up the ladder on the inside of the doors to look at the latch and wait for the water level to match the outside Ianto went over and over the sequence of switches in his head.

He knew this model.

He had this.

They had this.


	27. Chapter 27

27

Jack signalled the water level was even and started the unlatching of the doors, surprised when they began creaking then he glanced over at Ianto with concern.

"Might be air in the door panels Cariad, used to make the pistons work?" Ianto offered and Jack nodded, seeing that was probably the case, also knowing Owen would have been bricking it by now. The doors released with a hushed sigh and Ianto was proven right, Jack now seeing the new problem as he tried to push them open. How the hell was he going to get them both… he looked up to fins Ianto had seen the problem and was pointing to something then he saw what was floating in the corner by him.

A water ski.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, thank you gods.

Jack swam to it and prayed it was gassed up, whooping as it roared to life and he now moved with ease to the left door, swinging it back then the right door got pushed as well, catching on something when half open.

"That's good enough Cariad" Ianto called as he engaged the little engine that worked hard to move the boat from a standstill and Ianto was pleased when she moved forward. Jack brought the ski around back to hook onto the large bay at the back of the boat and started to laugh softly.

"what?" Ianto looked back as Jack hauled himself up onto the deck still laughing and he gestured at the back of the boat.

"Two Queens" he chortled, "The name of this boat is the Two Queens, love."

"What?" Ianto swung with shock then saw the humour in it as well, giggling softly as she now breached the doors with room to spare and they were out into the bay. Ianto powered down and moved to the main switches, taking a deep breath as he primed the turbines, engaging the huge engine below and she roared to life like some large dragon yawning. The noise was lovely and Jack grinned as he felt the vibrations that told him this pretty girl was hiding much more under her skirts than they had thought.

Ianto agreed, "She's not your average pleasure boat. Something tells me she is not only used to the voyage we are about to take but loves the open sea."

"Yeah, shit. I never thought when we chose her that she might be enhanced but by the sound of that engine she is modified up the wazzu"

"Well, one way to find out" Ianto chirped as Owen stuck his head out of the lower hatch and called through the main cabin to the tto men at the back of the boat.

"OI! Safe to come out?"

"Yeah, come on up, we're out" Jack called back then nodded to Ianto, "Go for it."

Ianto pushed the throttle to quarter speed and the boat lurched forward as Jack barked with surprise and she moved gracefully as a boat at full steam might, Ianto cursing softly as he glanced at Jack again, "We really should have looked her over more carefully, thank the gods we chose her. Jack, did we chose an international smuggler's boat or something?"

Jack looked at him as Owen joined them, catching the tail end for the conversation, "huh?"

"Owen, this speed should be top speed, look how fast we are going but its quarter impulse. If I throttle her all the way will we aqua plane? She did have a foil which I thought was ludicrous for such a large vessel but now…. This is to outrun anything. Like police? Poachers? Other Predators? Get me? Owen, go back down and check the floors, look for hatches to hidden compartments, I think we have gone to buy a donkey and come home with a fucking race horse."

"Cool" Owen said gleefully as he shot back down and Ianto glanced at Jack again.

"Captain? Wanna take the wheel?" Ianto said softly and Jack moved closer, now taking the controls but also kissing Ianto hungrily, then letting him loose to follow Owen. Ianto hesitated, "Sir?"

"Yeah?"

"Later you will apologise for scaring me, understood? Like…lots of … sorry." Ianto said and Jack looked over at him.

"What kind of sorry?"

"Kissing licking sorry" Ianto hissed then disappeared leaving Jack staring at the space he had just been hovering in, then he let his head fall back as he roared with mirth at the moxie of his Tiger to proposition him in broad daylight.

Seems like Ianto was going to let a lot of the old ways slide now, the feeling of colleagues and workplace gone and the feeling of family and comfort sliding in.

Yeah.

Jack liked this new man he was seeing and was happy to know he was able to be more himself as well. Torchwood might have bitten the dust but Jack felt comfort in the fact that he was taking the best of it with him.

All below.

Hunting for hidden treasure.


	28. Chapter 28

28

Ianto was right.

Of course he was, Ianto knows everything as Owen gleefully pointed out while looking down at the cool discovery.

"So the logs show this boat made round trips to Indonesia, china, Bangkok, places like that. Obviously they take this with them and then come back with…ah….different loads" Jack said as he looked at the canned goods and tat. "What's in the red bags?"

Owen clambered into the space which came to his knees and reached past the cans of baked beans as Ianto muttered that he was gonna hate those things soon and pulled a red bag forward, opening it to find money. Money and money.

"Fuck."

"Yes Owen, that about sums it up" Ianto said with a frown "I don't like it. Makes me freaky inside. Can we dump it over the side? Use this space for the other food and stuff?"

Owen looked up at Jack, "I agree. We keep a bag for when we get where we are going but if they are being vigilant with a border security they will search us and if they find all this we are toast"

"Agreed" Jack nodded, "One bag kept for our new home, maybe some more…gods. Tempting but you are right. If they search and find it we are toast. One bag squashed in here looks like just a sports bag. Yes. Two or three hints at smuggling. Dump them over the side, let them drift off."

"Wish we could weight them down" Ianto muttered, "If someone finds them, then us they might put two and two together, then want more."

"Like who?" Owen asked with his usual snark, "Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl is on our arses? Let go of this pirate thing man we are not wasting cans of food to weight them donw.."

They flung several bags overboard with each containing thousands…hundreds of thousands….fuck, probably millions. Fuck. Ianto wondered if they would use the remainder as toilet paper one day for all the use it would be if they got to the other side of the world to find it gone too.

He sighed and chastised himself for dark thoughts then left Owen packing stores in the space and found Jack back up top moving at speed. Ianto had been right, on a flat sea she was nosing above the water as she powered along with the speed of a little speed boat a quarter of her size.

"Jack?"

"Distance" Jack said softly, "Anyone finds those then us will think we have nothing to do with them. If we push for the day then let her click back to quarter again we won't expend too much fuel, put the equivalent of a few day's worth of distance between us and those bags in the space a of a few hours."

"Thank you" Ianto was touched as he knew Jack was doing this for his piece of mind, moving closer to lean against him, "You know, I am starting to get my sea legs. I do love the smell of the sea."

"You do?"

"Yeah. My Mam's GrandTad was a fisherman ya know. Big nets and peeling paint. School holidays I went out with him mostly day trips but sometimes a few days. Not talking, just sitting staring at the water. Gods, I loved it" Ianto enthused, "When he died I mourned so bad. I knew it was the end of something special."

"And yet here he is" Jack smiled softly, "At the end of the world, here he is in your thoughts. Maybe he taught you things we need now, his legacy is to protect those little souls down there. Good man."

"We are going to make it" Ianto said suddenly, his face one of determination as he looked at Jack, "We are going to be OK. You and I. Us. I love you."

Jack was touched, unable to answer so he hugged Ianto tightly against him as he looked back at the horizon of their past, the dim light telling him something was still burning. Within an hour they would not be able to see land, within two they would be unable to turn back.

As if.

No turning back now, not now. Jack pushed the throttle to max and felt her fly as all good steeds do when given the rein. Two hours later he throttled back and checked the GPS to find they had travelled further than he had thought, now days from land at the speed of a normal boat. Good.

He didn't have to tell Ianto who was looking over his shoulder with a look of satisfaction and the kiss to the shell of his ear before Ianto went down to see the children was payment enough for the fuel they had expended to get this far so fast.

Jack sat back and calculated what was left. It was like the old days, on a ship with limited fuel estimating the distance able to travel to the nearest harbours, only instead of deep space there was water. He knew they had more than enough to get to where they were going, those secondary fuel tanks now explained as well. He had thought her empty when he had fuelled her up, now knowing she must have been over half full, all that extra going in the other tank for speed.

Two Queens.

Jack laughed into the wind as he watched the sea meet the sky on the horizon.

Their future beckoned.


	29. Chapter 29

29

That evening they settled to eat, the fresh food being used first as they knew they would soon have no fruit and fresh veggies left. Ianto was pleased to see the tins of corn and peas down in the hold, their own tins of goodness from the mall and Hub added. They would be fine, more than enough. There was enough food to travel there and back.

Jack knew Ianto had been pleased with their find, more pleased with Jack's backing him up to dump the bags and as Jack fed the little one some baby peaches he glanced over to find Ianto watching him with open affection.

"You OK love?"

"Yeah. Happy." Ianto sighed "Is it bad that I am so happy in the middle of all this shit?"

They left Owen and Tosh clearing away and lay with the little ones in their room off the large Captain's office/living room. Dendy clung to Ianto and he knew the little boy was finally mourning, cuddling him tightly as he sang softly and rubbed his back until the tears came and Dendy cried softly into Ianto's chest.

"It's OK love, it's OK. I'm right here, me and Jack are not going away. We will be right here" Ianto crooned as the little boy started to go limp with fatigue.

Jack enjoyed the little girl splattered on him with that calm trust little ones have and he looked over to find Ianto had fallen asleep with Dendy, their limbs all entwined. He didn't mind, he was enjoying his own little cuddle bum. They all spent their first night in the children's cabin.

The night passed quickly, everyone lulled by the cool water around them and Ianto stirred to the soft breath of Dendy on his neck. He glanced over to find Jack still fast asleep with the baby on his chest, little limbs floppy on him like a limpet and he smiled as he watched her rise and rfll with each breath Jack took.

Dendy stirred.

"Hey shhhh" Ianto said as he helped Dendy slide out and they headed topside to piss over the side of the boat, Dendy feeling like a Grup as Owen joined them.

"Good morning menfolk" Owen said as he dropped his shorts and let loose, Dendy peering at the water.

"Are we peeing on fish?"

"They are probably still sleeping on the bottom love, the warm sun will bring them up later" Ianto said happily, "Maybe we can do a spot of fishing. Yum, fried fish for tea?"

"Yeah? Like fish n chips?" Dendy asked, "Can we make some of that?"

"We sure can short stuff" Owen said gleefully enjoying someone shorter than him for a change, "Some nice fish fillets done in bread crumb or maybe even battered."

"Beer batter" Ianto said softly, "Sacrifice a glass or two from that nice crate of beer I done spied down there."

"There are two actually" Owen replied, "Yum."

"Can I have some?" Dendy asked with open desire.

"One glass wouldn't hurt" Owen replied "Good for the blood. Sure, a wee glass with the meal sounds nice. Use some of that lettuce in a salad. Sounds great."

"Cool, how do we catch them then?" Dendy looked over the edge again and Owen turned to tell him all about fishing rods and stuff, the two heading off to find them.

"Breakfast in half an hour" Ianto called after them as he went in to check how the fresh milk was holding up, the last of the Hub supplies. Pancakes on the menu as he found enough left before they had to open the long life milk instead.

The coffee brought Jack up with a sleepy little girl freshly changed and dressed in a little summer dress that Ianto didn't even know they had and he saw once again how loving Jack was as he clucked and tore little pieces of pancake off for her to chew on.

"She's got a little tooth" Jack said with adoration, "Like a wee pearl. Ahhhhh."

"Not too big of a piece, I don't' want her choking" Tosh said with concern and Jack snorted.

"These pancakes are so fluffy they melt in the mouth, look she's chewing them like a wee champ. I know how to feed a baby, had enough of my own" Jack pouted and Ianto saw the possessiveness reappearing so he changed the subject.

I could have sworn I heard Myfanwy last night, her wings rustling" Ianto said and they all looked at him with sorrow for his loss, "Funny the things that haunt you. Maybe we all need a quiet day to reflect."

"So, what's today's plans?" Jack asked.

"Dendy and Owen are going fishing after brekkie, they are going to catch tea tonight. Homemade fish and chips, great huh? Jack if you want to entertain the princess Tosh and I might do some calculations and some cataloguing. Also, I think we need to keep a daily log so Tosh and I should take turns." Ianto said as he got their attention.

"We should all take turns" Owen said with a nod of agreement, "We all take a turn writing each day, then it will be from all of us. These ones will have it for their kids then."

"Lovely idea" Tosh said and Owen preened as Ianto gracefully let him have the praise.

After all, Jack's smile was all he needed.


	30. Chapter 30

30

Tosh was bellow with the children having an afternoon nap as Ianto lay in the top cabin staring aimlessly at the ceiling. The sound of the water lapping against the side of the boat combined with Owen's soft singing…yeah he can actually sing….was lulling him.

Then it went quiet and Ianto sat up, looking out to see a boat approaching off the port side and he felt his balls shrivel as his eyes clocked the guns the men had in their hands.

Pirates.

He had mere moments to consider as Jack called out an overly cheerful greeting even as Ianto could see him though the glass moving his Webley to the back of his pants. Owen gave them a hearty mouthful as well, both men blustering that they had been sailing for weeks and unsure what the hell was happening.

Ianto listened to them exchange fake pleasantries as one of the boatman moved to the bow and peered up at the 'Two Queens' with a frown and Ianto tried to work out what the man was studying so intently. Then he remembered the washing line strung across the edge of the chopper pad and he cursed softly.

The children's clothes had been done early, already dry and bought in. Only the adults had clothing on there but he knew the thing of interest to this boatload of men would be Tosh's lacy smalls on display.

Shit, shit and fuckery doo dah.

Ianto had to think fast as he moved stealthily to close the hatch, Tosh looking up from her vantage point as she listened and he motioned for he to stay and arm herself, her reply was to raise the pistol already at her hip. Ianto closed the hatch to the lower quarters and then knelt on the floor trying to think as his eyes flicked about the cabin for inspiration.

After this long at sea he was slightly slower and knew this was a problem, he needed to be sharper tha…HA

Ianto scooped up Tosh's kimono from the seat and slid it on, then looked in the mirror at the finger length hair curling around his face. He wet his hands and styled it more, then boldly plucked on of Tosh's lipsticks from the bowl of Tat and the pink smile was alluring yet gaudy.

Ianto took a deep breath as he whispered "Showtime"

"Nah, we've not spoken with anyone else" Owen was yelling, "Jack and me have tried every frequency on the radio, gave up when we got close enough to shore to see the city burning. It's fucked up to be sure."

Ianto saw the boatman that had been lusting after Tosh's smalls moving towards the one in charge, no doubt to tell him there was a woman on board, something they lacked so he knew he had to do this.

Now or never.

"Cariad, why didn't you wake me!" Ianto cried theatrically as he exploded from the cabin flapping his hands and Jack turned with surprise as the creature gyrated towards him, "You know this place is a pigsty. You and your disgusting pig of a brother-in-law have me at my wits end with your piggery and now we have visitors."

Jack blinked as Ianto slapped at his chest with limp wrists, "And my all-togethers are on display, what will they think! Not even my best ones! Oh Gods, they must be horrified, as am I. Horrified!"

Jack blinked, processing the words then took a deep breath as he drew Ianto into his side, "Calm down darling, it's OK. Thy' are not coming aboard. Remember we talked about this, we will stay here until we reach my family in the Bahamas, no one else will come with. I know you are scared, it's OK. These men are friendly and they have their own boat that looks better than ours."

Ianto turned to them and pouted as he let his naturally long lashed flutter, "I am so sorry, this place is just not ready for company. Gods, I've not even cleaned the table from breakfast, although I don't know about you, I am so damned sick of fish!"

There was soft laughter as they accepted it was three of them there now, clearly saw the women's clothing belonged to this bloody drag queen and they relaxed, Jack kissing Ianto's' forehead as he clutched him tighter and silently thanked him for the amazing save.

"We would suggest you keep going in the direction you are" the one in charge finally spoke, "We came from that way over there and there was a boat that looked like it had been attacked. We spooked and took off, don't go that way."

"See?" Ianto squealed shrilly with a display of horror, "I told you! I told you when we saw the cruise ship not to follow. That will attract pirates for sure!"

"Cruise ship?"

Jack squeezed Ianto affectionately as he marvelled at his ability to think so fast, "Yeah, about…three? Three days ago love?"

"Yes, three days ago, I wore my yellow set so it was a Wednesday. I wear yellow on a…oh sorry. Been a while since I've had someone to talk to." Ianto gasped and giggled as he camped and flopped against Jack.

"Yeah, three days ago we saw a cruise ship on the horizon, that way" Jack pointed behind them and tried to look ashamed, "Ianto was scared so we didn't approach. He seems to think pirates had taken it over and are sailing the high seas killing everyone. He has seen so many movies that I am glad we have just books out here."

"Jack!" Ianto scolded, "You know you need to be careful and these lovely men need to know. I mean, it was moving under it's own power, obviously in good order. Perfect for pirates!"

As the men hastily bid them goodbye and took off in the direction of the 'cruise ship' Owen slumped against the seats and shook his head with wonder.

Jack drew Ianto in and kissed him hungrily as he whispered that he had enjoyed Ianto's' action immensely.

Ianto wondered if he should keep the kimono.

For emergencies I mean.

Um.


	31. Chapter 31

31

Ianto was still on edge, finding the binoculars to check and he cursed as he thought he saw the boat changing course to head in the direction they had come from. Maybe they hadn't believed the Cruise Ship speech after all.

A trick of the light, a flash on a wave. No. Nothing there.

Ianto decided there could be nothing good from worrying and dropped the glasses, turning away to watch Owen fishing as Tosh laid down below with the baby having an afternoon nap.

Ianto knew he was being silly but he rose to check again, feeling childish as he ignored Owen's calling out to him. "Come on mate, we are on an eighth impulse speed, we are going so slow we should throw out some lines or something. Hey, if they are watching on radar we will be so slow and laborious they will think us a bad catch, plus they saw the gun. Come on."

Ianto turned to look at him, "I just have a bad feeling Owen."

"I know bud, Tosh and the kids are staying below for the rest of the day. Dens is more than happy with the Lego you pulled out of your arse and the wee one doesn't care as long as someone sings to her. Jack might have withdrawal and have to disappear every few minutes to remind Tosh that it's just a loan, the girl is his but other than that we are golden." Owen soothed, unsettled as well. Ianto had never acted like this before, the bad vibe of those men had settled about him and he turned back to stare back again, relisting the urge to get the glasses back.

Owen shook his head and headed over to Jack, "He has the Heebie-Jeebies Mark Three."

"It's Tosh" Jack said quietly, "They saw her under things on the washing line, why he pretended they were his, camped so well I had a fucking tent in my pants. He's worried they didn't buy it. Think about it Owen, a boat full of men out here suddenly sees something like that? She might be a better incentive than a ghost Cruise Ship."

"Shit" Owen finally got it, swinging back to stare in the same direction as Ianto, "Wish our radar worked."

"Put her on it, go down and entertain the kids. Ianto won't leave his post, like a fucking bloodhound. Go down and see to our kids, let her get on it. Maybe she can get it up and going?" Jack suggested and Owen nodded sliding into the cabin to walk across to the lower hatch then disappearing. Jack looked over at Ianto who stood ramrod straight staring at the horizon. "You are freaking him out"

"Good. I'm freaked out, let's all be" Ianto answered dryly and Jack recognised an argument, surprised as Ianto seemed to be fishing for it. Looking for a distraction?

"I'm hungry, any chance of a sandwich love?"

Ianto finally moved away and seemed to relax once inside, Jack vowing to give him wee tasks to keep him busy. Ianto insisted on them eating below and Jack dropped the sea anchor as they settled for the night Jack did one last check of the boat and surrounding area, no lights on the horizon comforting him that there were no eyes watching them. He decided in the morning to review the security and Tosh was confident that she was going to get the radar back on line within the day as well. Hopefully that would comfort Ianto.

They snuggled in their bed and Ianto whispered to Jack that he still felt nervous. Jack kissed him and gently pulled his robe open, kissing his neck, chest…well anything he could reach as Ianto writhed and panted softly beneath him. The children were fast asleep in their room, the Lego pirate ship looking grand and Dendy's pride had been doubled as Jack had declared him a Lego God.

Sex was gentle, soft and not without some soft cries muffled by a lover's mouth and as they lay drifting Ianto breathed in the scent of his lover and smiled softly. He knew he was driving him nuts with his mild freaking out and he vowed to try to hide it better, especially from the kids.

Finally he settled, satiated and safe in Jack's arms he drifted along with their vessel, the slapping of water lulling. He listened to the world around them, a distant sound of thunder, the rustling of laundry still on the line that they hadn't taken down.

Damn.

Ianto was almost to the slipping deeper stage hen he heard a dull thump and he sighed, rolling in the bed as he listened. Owen getting a snack? Again. This time it was above him, not where the galley area was. What the…by his head.

Ianto sat up as he realised why it sounded odd.

"Jack!" Ianto shoved at his sleeping love and Jack grunted with annoyance, "Jack I heard something up top. Jack, someone's on the boat."

Jack was awake, looking up at him and he listened too.

Thump.

They were dressing hurriedly, just boxer shorts and pistols ta muchly.

Ianto followed Jack up towards the hatch to the main cabin.

THUMP


	32. Chapter 32

Both men moved topside now, listening as they stood by the doors and Jack turned to speak when they heard it again.

Thump

Scrape

Thump

They stared at one another as they came to the same conclusion. Something was rubbing against the hull of their boat, something floating in the water. Jack motioned for Ianto to go one way, he went the other and they started to circle the large cabin, their bare feet picking their way carefully on the dark deck and Ianto was the first to find what had woken him, the gun in his face not as much a surprise as you might think.

The one who had seen the smalls on the line and slid back to tell the boss man was now standing there with another equally toothless fuck and they grinned in the moonlight as he motioned for Ianto to get to his knees. Ianto stared at them faintly hoping they would shoot, the sound of the gun might alert the others to at least save the children. He raised his head defiantly and said calmly "Get fucked!"

He knew Jack had flanked them given the time lag and was currently creeping forward to challenge them but the one with the gun was too stupid to know this as he aimed at Ianto's face and leered, "Pretty mouth, gonna look so sweet around my cock while you wear that pink fluffy number!"

Ianto opened his mouth to retort when there was movement from above and Ianto watched with a slack jaw as the man was hoisted into the air, his scream shrill and short before it was silenced with the snap of his neck. The one with the gun dropped his arm and squinted up into the shadow looming over him then as gone as well, the gun hitting the deck with a dull thud.

Jack looked up, he and Ianto mirror images of naked handsomeness and black boxers, the blood raining on the deck the only sound bar the sound of pounding feet, the other man on the boat hearing his friend's cry and coming to his aid only to look at in the same direction as the men and he skidded in the blood, slamming to the deck to land on his hip and he threw his arms up as he screamed as well, this time long and loud.

"Shit" Jack huffed "The kids will heard that for sure."

Jack swung from the massacre and took off around the other side of the boat where he began firing wildly at the boat tied against the port side of their boat, those on board hearing the noise and seeing a silhouette on the roof of the boat that made no sense … none at all … and Jack yelled at them to get away before she turns on them too.

Jack was not Ianto who was thinking more clearly, as with any high stress situation which was his life the Welshman calmly turned to look at the boat now cut free and drifting away and he sighed, knowing they would be back at first light and the baby had started to cry below.

"Myfanwy, look!" he called, the large beast on the chopper pad rising to her full height, the wings fanning out to block the moonlight as she turned awkwardly to look in the direction her beloved human was pointing and she knew he was in danger, his fear in his voice warning her that this was not a good thing to let these little rats away from them.

She rose into the night sky and Ianto let a sob escape as he watched his beautiful lady majestically glide over the small vessel as she considered her move then she dove into the water, disappearing into the black liquid as the men on board screamed with horror.

He hadn't been dreaming.

He had heard her at night above them as they slept. She must have scouted ahead during the day, fed form the water she now effortlessly erupted from with a scream of glee, her talons slashing at the boat which almost capsized as the men screamed and the first shot sounded.

"NO!" Ianto screamed as he clutched at the railing on the side of the boat but he was afraid for naught, the beast simply swinging her feet back down to grab the starboard side of the small boat and flip it neatly, turning it turtle to the men on board were flung into the water.

She then lifted the boat as high as she could which was not that far really, it was heavy after all and she is only one leathery beast but at least six feet before dropping it and the crack was louder than the gunshot as the boat struck water and she followed it down, her feet hitting the hull with deadly force, breaching the hull and then she returned to Ianto for praise.

"Oh girl. My lovely girl" Ianto sobbed with glee as he climbed to the roof of the boat, flinging himself around her neck, "My Myfanwy"

Down below Owen stood with his face agape listening to the commotion upstairs and Jack half clambered, half fell down the hatch, "Myfanwy is here. She is getting rid of them, it's OK."

Even as he spoke Jack reached for Dendy unseen by Owen as he slid along the wall to look and Jack held him tenderly, "It's OK darling, Ianto has it all under control topside. I am going back up to help him clean up, there is a lot of blood and stuff so can you stay down here and watch over the girls for us while Owen helps clean topside?"

Dendy puffed out his chest as he nodded "Too right Captain."

Tosh nodded as she gently rocked the baby in her arms, "Come on Dens. Come tell us a story, she likes your stories."

"Yeah, come on missus. The fellas have the night shift" Dendy said as he swaggered into her room and she smiled lovingly as she turned to follow.

Janet moved in her room as she listened and she gave a grunt of annoyance.

That bitch up there is probably having all the fun.


	33. Chapter 33

33

So Myfanwy was now accepted as their watchdog as Janet decided she really didn't give a monkey's arse. She still had the MREs anyway so there!

On this particular morning Ianto was standing in just a pair of board shorts, his hair now longer and softly waving in the wind as the huge creature flew overhead to dive into the water again, his laughter light as he watched her feed. They were now two weeks into their 'cruise' as Owen insisted in calling it.

Speaking of Owen, the sea sickness was long gone, fishing rocked and his new best friend seemed happy to sit for hours and argue with him about random shit, the occasional sandwich or gentle reminder that there were little ears getting Dendy to apologise more than him as they would look over at wee Bella in Jack's possessive arms.

Tosh had given in finally realising there was no real contest, the little miss loving his chest anyway.

Jack was currently lounging in the deck chair with the little girl asleep on his bare chest, his adoration raw as he worried about the fact she had caught a little too much sun yesterday was still a little red. Owen had left some cream to apply and she seemed OK but still he worried and told himself to try harder there. He was contemplating putting up the awning before the afternoon blast of heat when he noticed Ianto standing up on the edge of the deck.

"Question" Owen suddenly said from the back of the boat and heads turned, the god up top shuffling his bare feet for a better vantage point as he tore his gaze from his girl.

"What's that Owen?" Dendy asked with a look of total devotion.

"If we got this massive heat thing, the ice and snow melted and shit right? I mean, why hasn't the sea levels changed much? It should have melted glaciers and stuff, not to mention the polar ice caps, right?" he asked and Tosh looked gleeful as she replied.

"I thought nobody was going to think of that, I've been thinking about it myself" she gushed, "I think I know why."

"Why?"

"Evaporation" Ianto replied softly, turning away as he knew the answer and Jack canted his head. Ianto seemed a bit down. Off. Was he sad? Bored? Something seemed amiss.

"What?" Owen asked, looking to Tosh.

"The heat was so strong that it not only melted a lot of ice, it also evaporated a lot of water. Like, a sunny day evaporates a puddle, think of how much sea water alone much have been affected. For all the new water suddenly added to the mix, a lot was removed." Tosh said happily, "That's my theory anyway."

"If you get a glass and fill it with ice then water you get a base line" Ianto called out as he walked around the chopper pad searching for his Myfanwy, "So let it sit and melt in the sunshine. What happens. Does it overflow the glass?"

"No!" Owen snorted, "Ah, you're talking displacement"

"Yeah, so icebergs and stuff wouldn't have mattered in whatever form they were, the displacement was the same. A glacier on the top of a mountain melts, that water evaporates or is absorbed by the poor cooking earth before it even reaches the sea, seas which are being sucked up even as the polar icecaps are replenishing. So…it may have fluctuated but then found a common level once more." Ianto saw her on the horizon and stopped walking, smiling as he watched her swoop and play with a pod of dolphins. He wondered if they were communicating somehow as she never harmed Dolphins, seemed taken with them. Sharks however…

"She hasn't found another bloodly shark had she?" Owen rose to look, "I don't want that again."

Ianto nodded as the previous day had been punctuated with a massive shark's head dropped from a height onto the chopper pad as an offering and Ianto had spent over an hour scrubbing it with open horror.

No.

He didn't want that either, then he sighed as she rose with something in her talons that looked way too big….shit.

"She had a big one" Ianto warned, "Shit, she's heading this way. Looks like a great white. Ahhhhh …. Shit. Incoming!"

Ianto started to slide off the roof as Jack struggled to stand, his hands cradling the sleeping tot and he watched the sky darken as Myfanwy came over the boat and dropped her latest offering.

It was a Great White alright. At least a sixteen footer if it was an inch and it was clearly not impressed with its relocation.

Owen screamed and leapt into the water, followed by Ianto who remembered Owen couldn't swim even if the acidic man had forgotten in the heat of the moment. Jack raced to the cabin, pulling Dendy with him and they slammed the door to watch as Tosh calmly removed the shotgun from the locker by the Captain's Char and walked over to shoot the thrashing creature in the head. It flopped and convulsed as she danced around the sapping jaws and took another aim, the boom loud as she went through the eye socket.

It was still.

In the water Ianto started to laugh as Owen hung to him with a murderous glare.

"Tell me you didn't somehow teach her to do that!" Owen snarled, "That Leathery bitch tried to kill me!"

"Awww, you're just jealous that she caught the biggest one for the day" Ianto joked as he sniggered and Jack watched Dendy approach the corpse to poke at it with a gaff, his eyes wide.

"Christ woman, you done killed the beast!" he finally declared, "Youse a bloody warrior!"

Tosh was delighted as Dendy turned to her and declared her awesome.

Ianto sighed as he saw a huge clean up but he also knew that was a lot of good meat that would last them a long time.

Myfanwy dove once more to play with her dolphin friends content in knowing she had angered Janet who was cursing down below as she knew something was happening without her.


	34. Chapter 34

34

So … Janet knew they were having fun and she decided she had been patient long enough calmly popping the lock and striding up to see for herself. Jack screamed as he rushed to stand in front of the babies, Dandy looking around him as the creature lumbered past them to look for Owen and Ianto.

Owen was clambering over the side of the boat as Ianto helped from the ladder and when it became clear Owen was somehow stuck Ianto shoved at his rear, "Owen, get on the fucking boat, I need to get on too."

Owen disappeared, then Janet appeared over the edge of the railing to look on at him and Ianot blinked, considered and reached out a hand, "Give us a lift love."

She could have done a number of things but he banked on the fact she was clever and he hoped she would understand. When she seized his hand and yanked him over to place him on his feet it became obvious that she had been a lot smarter than the others had realised. Of course, Ianto knew her, as did Owen who was watching the little boy relax once he saw Ianto was OK.

"Thank you Janet" Ianto said calmly, "Would you like to get some sun? Go on then, go up the front there and you can bask for a while Ok? Then when it's time for a feed you will go back to your room. Yeah?"

Her answer was to lumber up to the bow and plonk herself into a large beanbag Dendy had dragged up there, Jack watching with interest.

"Is she safe?" he asked after a while.

"I think so. She just wants to be part of it. We know she would not hurt the kids, she seems OK with us. Maybe we should let her out for a wee while. If we have some stunners on hand for the first few days and see how it goes?" Owen said as he looked to Ianto for agreement.

"I think she is fine" Ianto agreed, "She seems to understand that we are stuck out here and are going somewhere. She is calm, she seems curious, that's all. Let's indulge her. Dendy, please leave her alone though, she might freak out or something if pressed. She's never seen water like this. Let's let her think about it. Anyway, you can help me gut this shark."

Dendy's face lit up and he rushed forward, his hands like claws as he saw the chance to get messy and Tosh reached for Bella, "Come on, someone needs some quiet time after that scare."

Jack considered and reluctantly handed her over as he wanted to gut the shark too.

"Cariad, share" Ianto said softly as he knelt by the little boy and handed him the large knife, placing his own hands over Dendy's to help guide.

"I know, but she's so lovely." Jack sighed, "I'm getting possessive again, aren't I."

"Nothing wrong with fierce love, I approve of it meself" Ianto muttered as the knife slid in and he coaxed Dendy to pull it horizontally. They got to a point and Ianto leaned against it, popping the gut and Dendy squealed as liquid started to leak out, "Quick, come on the gory part is about to happen."

Owen grabbed for the knife too and they moved the knife down towards the tail as contents started to come out. Dendy let go and Ianto let Owen finish as he opened the slit with his hands so some of the entrails could come out, Dendy's face glowing as he explained that it smelt like cat turd. Bad cat turd.

Owen laughed as he placed the knife on the ground and helped pull out the stomach, "You think that's bad. Wanna see what he ate? That will smell the worst."

"Wait, wait. By the water ski … pull it to the edge please, I do not want that smell to linger" Ianto scolded and Owen pulled the guts over then grinned as he handed the knife to the little boy.

"Careful now, watch your fingers and carve so it falls to the lower water deck so the waves can wash it away. Ianto's right, it's gonna stink and the birds might all come." Owen agreed and with open glee Dendy hacked at the gut that split and heaved dead rotting fish over the side as the little boy screamed with horror and delight.

"Ahhhh, rottennnnnnn" Dendy roared as he let Owen take the knife and stood to lean over and watch the sea take the offerings "Smells worse than the Princess' nappy after she tried the fish pie. Argghhhhhhhhh…deadly."

Owen was laughing as he held the little boy gently around the waist and tipped him further so he could now see the fish coming to the surface to feed. Their faces both shining as they looked down with open curiosity.

"Nice when they play together" Ianto said conversationally as he placed a plate of sandwiches near Jack, "Nice for morale."

"Well, kids do tend to settle after a trauma" Jack agreed as he chose one and checked inside, then bit into it with a hum of pleasure. Ianto sniffed his own even though he had made it and clearly knew what it was, the habit too strong to break, then he ate too.

The boys continued to chortle over the corpse of the shark.

Janet hummed happily.


	35. Chapter 35

35

The weather closed in the next day and they closed all the portals and hatches, Dendy decidedly annoyed that there could be no fishing topside so Tosh pulled him over to show him the radar array she was strying to fix.

"I still need the screen to go, you watch for me and if this light here turns green or an image appears on the screen let me know, OK?" she asked and then she dispeared under the console as Dendy sat in the huge Captain's chair.

"I'm going to finish the dishes and have a cuddle with my stink" Jack said happily and Ianto canted his head.

"I do hope you are refering to the Princess Bella because I have been swimming after the shark business" Ianto scowled and Jack nsorted as he sw the glimmer of amusement in Ianto's eye.

"My love, you are never a stink to my nose, a rare flower indeed" Jack replied with a deep bow and Ianto snorted, unable to keep up the pretence of being annoyed and Dendy slapped at the console as he saw a flicker of something.

"Again Toshi, try again" he demanded and she froze, then placed the wires rogether again and Dendy roared, "There! Got it, like on the movies."

She scrabbled out and looked,her face lighting up at she saw the slowly revoloting line and she hugged the child happily, "Well done love. Now I need to do the depth sounder so we don't hit a reef or something, this one here."

She clicked to chage the screen and he nodded, leaning forward now with purpose as she went back under and Owen smiled as he saw what a good mama she will be.

A wave hit and they rocked, making Ianto stand and look up with concern, "Maybe getting the bloody wind gage up might be a good idea too."

They worked through the afternoon and by evening the wind gage was working and not helping as it spoke of incoming doom. They moved to the lower level and settled in the room that the kids shared, Ianto growing more worried as Jack stayed in the top cabin to try and negotiate the waves.

Finally Ianto ventured up leaving Tosh reading to three upturned faces.

"Cariad?" Ianto gripped the railings around the room for help as he strugglied to Jack's chair, "Is this going to get worse?"

"I thnk so Tiger" Jack said as he turned and grabbed Ianto around the waist and pulled him into his lap in the chair, "I have the sea anchor out to help and there isn't much more we can do."

"Is Myf OK up there?" Ianto was worried and Jack felt it in his tense body as he tried to cuddle him against his chest.

"We have the small ralings, will they hold her is she slides?" Ianto asked.

"She can swim and will not drown" Jack said as he knew the thoughts running through Ianto's brain and Ianto sighed as he relaxed and let Jack have his feel. A kiss and nuzzling before Ianto stood to go back down and the boat lurched violently, Ianto yelping as he grabbed for Jack and they watched the waves roll over the cabin.

Bella startd to scream and Jack swore as he struggled from the chair and down below leaving Ianto at the controls and he listened with concern as Myfanway's claws scrapped across the roof. He looked up and swore as he heard scrabbling and then the sound of splintering.

Great, she's going over.

Gods.

The coner of the cabin started to splinter and Ianto watched with morbid fascination as claws slowly appeared, Mayfanwy digging in by simply sinking her claws into the vessel's cabin and Ianto held back a bark of hysterical laugter at the image in his head of the dragon-like girl facing the storm with her wing flattened behind her.

Whatever she was doing seemed to work as the boat stopped listing as violently and after a while the baby's cries of fear drifted away. Ianto saw a small cluster of islands and piloeted the vessel towards them, finding a cove that protected against the worst of the weather and he heard a soft thimp that was undoubtedly the huge leathery body hitting the chopper pad as she relaxed as well.

He wondered where they were but didn't really care so long as the anchor held them in place and he slid down to find Dendy waiting with wide eyes.

"Did the cabin come off?"

"No love, Myfanway dug her claws in like a cat does" Ianro explaind the noise the child had heard, "She sort of… rode us like a surfboard."

"Cool" Dendy grinned, "She's OK?"

"Yeah, nothing much upsets our big bird" Ianto smiled as he cuddled the child and Jack looked up from the bed where he was cuddling the baby.

"We're anchored? You found an area shallow enough?" Jack asked.

"I think we are in Puerto Rico" Ianto replied with a frown, "The islands seem familiar. We are in a cove."

"Really? We've come that far?" Tosh asked with interest.

"I think so" Ianto nodded.

They felt achievment in that small fact.


	36. Chapter 36

36

"There's lights" Dendy pointed out and they turned to look in the direction he was pointing, Jack slapping off their running lights to plunge them into darkness as they peered out into the night.

"Shit"

"Why? Isn't that a good thing?" Dendy asked as he turned to face Jack.

"Panama is just that way, a lot of guns, conflict and clever people" Jack tried to be honest, "Someone seeing us might not mean someone coming to help us, it could men someone wanting what we have. If there are lights, they have power right? It means they are self sufficient and more than likely don't need us, just our boat."

"So the canal is out for sure" Owen said softly as he looked over there as well and Jack nodded.

"We knew this was a possibility. Others thinking of possible spots people might congregate. This is a major route, best we continue down and around. Another week or so is not gonna kill us….they might" Jack pointed in the direction of the lights as Dendy silently slid from his perch on the seat by the window and scooted over to clamber into Ianto's lap, his fear hidden from the others but of course Ianto knew it was there.

"They can't see us love" Ianto said softly so the others couldn't hear, "Me and Jack will stay up tonight and move before the dawn, OK? They will not even know we were here. It's OK, we are too far out."

Dendy let his head rest against Ianto's' chest as he relaxed, knowing Ianto only spoke the truth like all Grups were supposed to but never bloody did.

"Right, so no light means we better hunker down I think" Owen said as he clicked on a torch aimed at the wheelhouse floor, "Come on guys, we pull the blinds in the rooms and can have torches if we keep them low. We will snuggle into bed and I will tell some stories, yah?"

"Thank you Owen, Ianto and I will take the night shift and if you hear the motor know it's almost dawn and we are moving on." Jack said as he had heard Ianto's' whispered conversation and agreed with the decision to stay out of the bullshit happening on shore.

Ianto settled on one of the bench seats that were large enough for a bed, drawing the blanket over himself as he marvelled at the cooler temperatures now the solar flaring had stopped. Jack watched as Ianto drifted for a while then Ianto sat up and frowned, looking around with confusion, "I can't hear my girl."

"They're all asleep" Jack whispered and Ianto shook his head as he pointed up above their heads, and Jack looked dup as he finally remembered Myfanwy.

"You don't think she….ahhhhhhh…..they have sheep?" Ianto rose and peered out into the darkness, "she wouldn't would she?"

"Turn down a chance to plunder a country?" Jack asked with a soft snort of amusement, "Ha. She wouldn't?"

"What if someone sees her!" Ianto was on his feet now with a look of total horror, "What if they try to capture her!"

"What if she goes up on YouTube!" Jack gasped with fake horror, "Babe. What are they gonna do about it, eh?"

"Oh damn it all, I can't sleep until I check" Ianto sighed as he went out to the deck and turned to look up at what he knew he would find. An empty Chopper Pad.

He returned to the cabin with a look of horror and plonked on the seat.

"Great, just great. She's gone AWOL!" he threw his arms out, "Bloody snuck off."

"Like a teenager sneaking out the window to go to a rave, not knowing her Tad was gonna do a midnight check as he had a funny feeling" Jack grinned, "Sneaks back and is horrified to find him sitting in her room in the dark with his arms folded. Babe she always comes back, remember?"

"I'll not sleep a wink unit I've given her a piece of my mind!" Ianto stomped over to the Galley and started making a sandwich with a look of doom out into the dark.

"Wow, grounded for sure" Jack muttered to himself as he checked the radar and found the sea around them clear of any incoming as he knew it would remain.

It was about an hour before dawn that a soft thump on the roof announced her return and Ianto flew from the Captain's Seat as Jack sat up sleepily from the sofa and watched Ianto storm out into the dark to rail at the Pterodactyl.

"And what do you call this? Eh? Answer me young lady, did you seriously think I would not notice what you did? Eh?" Ianto was invisible but Jack could imagine his hands on his hips, one rising to slide behind his neck as he looked up with fury, "If you ever do that again without letting me know I will bloody well never forgive you. What if you got caught? What if we have to move and you can't find us? Did you think of that? Did you think of me? Did you?"

A dull thud had Jack listening with concern then a soft chuckle started out on the deck.

"Cheeky bitch. You think a dead sheep will console me?" Ianto's voice was full of amusement as he forgave her, "Well … fresh meat will be good for the babans and Janet I guess. Come here and let me hug you."

Jack flopped back on the sofa and sighed as he stretched and prepared to weigh anchor.

Dawn was coming.


	37. Chapter 37

37

Owen was looking at the fleece with interest, "How did you skin it?"

"The boning knife, angled it and there we go" Ianto shrugged as he looked up from his work, "Owen, wanna look at the fleece or do you want fry some lamb steaks for the others? Maybe let Bella have some gravy from the pan with mash?"

Owen moved off with his own mouth watering as he wondered if they still had some of that mint sauce.

"I can't believe she brought it back. Like a cat bringing back a mouse, she did the same with the shark. Cariad, do you think she is feeding us?" Ianto looked over and Jack nodded, it made sense. She saw Ianto as hers, her chick and they were in this floating nest. Of course this made sense.

"So tell me about New Zealand" Ianto said after a while and Jack looked up with surprise. "Come now sir, you've been on this planet how many years? And you never went to paradise?"

Jack grinned, "New Zealand is actually a chain of Islands in the South Pacific and are close to Antarctica at the bottom of the world. A relatively new country, only a baby really, it is still wild and beautiful. Has its own dinosaur ya know. Tuatara. A lizard said to have dino DNA in it. Insects of the cretaceous era still living in the deep cave systems. Beautiful and full of welcome and smiles. And you are right, it is home of Lord of the Rings."

"Next to Australia, why not go there?" Ianto asked, "If we turn left instead of right we get to Aussie first, turning right will bring us to New Zealand first."

"Aussie is fine but New Zealand is still very self sufficient. Also, there are more sheep than humans. I liked it there, could have stayed. Lots of places we can live without seeing other people for days. Our own little retirement village." Jack said wistfully, "I always wanted to go back."

"Sounds nice" Ianto smiled. "And?"

"Aussie gets too hot for you, you don't do so well it the heat so we have established. Maybe a cooler country suits better? Besides, why not. I really want to see you in a grass skirt thing."

"Grass skirt?"

"Yeah, even the men. Of course only ceremonial. They wear normal clothes love, I'm playing with you. Gods, your face!" Jack laughed and Ianto snorted as he rose to his feet.

"Well that's all we can take, Myfanwy? You gonna take the rest?"

Jack watched the gigantic head slowly snake down to scoop up the carcass and then disappear, Ianto's hand sliding over her head as she paused to check him with a beady eye. He stroked her face as he whispered "I love you too my pretty girl but it's dripping on my foot."

"Yep. About ten sheep per person or something. She can eat until she pukes" Jack said softly, "OK?"

"I just want to sleep. Like, really sleep. I can't sleep out here, the sounds are so loud"

"Come on, I can smell that meat" Jack said as he held out his hand knowing there was nothing he could say to comfort him now, Ianto's nightmares things of torture as he relived things that happened or he imagined happened back there to the people they loved, his sister's name on his lips some nights in the dark.

Jack hoped he might finally sleep too, that the clear air might soothe enough for Ianto's' Ghosts to settle a bit.

And maybe his own.

.

.

.

.

It was a couple of days later that Owen came to Ianto and settled next to him on the side of the bow, their feet dangling over the side as Ianto looked at him and then handed him the fishing rod, reaching back to bait another.

"You OK?" he asked after it became apparent Owen was not about to say what was on his mind.

"When we get there….I mean…you know…."

"I don't know. If we must, we will stay on the boat. Live there. I am hopeful that we can find a house or something and all settle in with a village or something. Jack says they are big on community" Ianto nodded, and then saw what Owen was not saying.

"Owen?"

Owen glanced at him furtively.

"I know it's a big ask but … the kids. You know they are going to be scared and nervous and stuff. If it's not too big of an ask, do you think maybe we could all find a place together? Maybe? I mean, we get along and feel like one big family. It will feel weird to them if you are suddenly gone right?" Ianto watched for a reaction and knew he was right when Owen straightened up and started to grin.

"Yeah, the kids need stability, right?"

"Yes. Maybe of you talk to Tosh? See if it's OK?" Ianto smiled as he felt a stirring of affection for his friend and his poor wee heart, "I would miss you terribly too ya know. Just between us."

Owen shone as his feet drummed against the hull, Ianto's word exactly what he wanted to hear and he nodded.

He was so relieved.


	38. Chapter 38

38

"Who knew he had such hidden talents" Tosh said softly as she reached for her drink and Ianto grunted as he adjusted the little boy who was asleep on him.

Jack was standing on the chopper pad with Owen in front of him seated on a chair with a sheet around him as Jack cut his hair. Owen was still looking dubiously at Jack as Jack flicked the scissors with an almost bored look, Owen's cut being professional in appearance by the time he was finished.

"Dendy next?" Jack said as he flapped the sheet over the side and turned to look down at the deck below where he saw the little boy asleep on Ianto like a larger version of his princess who likes to sleep on her 'Jack Bed' the same way. "Awwwwww, poor wee man. Come on Tosh, want a trim?"

"I would love my split ends gone" she replied as she clambered up and Ianto watched Owen as he washed himself with the solar shower that drew water from the sea and then dry himself before he walked over to gently show infinite love and care as he rolled Dandy off Ianto and crooned softly while carrying the child down below.

Ianto rose and looked up at Jack as he finished trimming Tosh's swish for her and grinned, "Me next?"

"Awwww?" Jack whined "I love your hair longer, you are getting sun-kissed tips!"

"Cariad, stop talking about my tits, we are discussing hair!" Ianto said in a pompous voice that had Jack sniggering happily.

"I will cut it if you want but I do like running my fingers through it" Jack sighed as he saw Ianto's determination and Ianto climbed up, surprising Jack with a kiss instead of sitting down.

"Maybe next week" he whispered softly as he stroked Jack's cheek gently, "But when it starts to tickle, I tickle you."

"Deal" Jack grinned happily.

Ianto kissed him again and slid back below as Jack turned to look out to the horizon where Myfanwy as fishing, her silhouette pretty against the blue.

It was almost time to turn the corner as it were, to change course and it was evident in the cooler weather how much closer they were getting to the polar ice caps. The South Pole would stop them if they didn't turn anyway and he knew as much as Ianto hated being hot, he hated the cold as well.

New Zealand was mild. Gentle and soothing. A place of healing and they all needed that. Let the rest of the world fix what could be fixed, their hands would not really make the work any lighter and besides, he had earned some bloody rest.

Some happy.

Jack dropped the sheet over the side to the deck below and then gently dropped the chair after it and he smelt scones in the air, his grin widening as he knew Owen was making the sultana scones Dendy loved.

Who would have thought it, Owen so loving.

Jack was glad Ianto had talked to Owen about them staying together he had worried about that as well and knew Dendy loved Owen like a very big sibling.

A squawk had Jack looking back to watch Myfanwy coming towards them and he was relieved to see no food in her talons but she did have something of interest which she clutched as she landed awkwardly with one foot.

"What have you got there sweetie?" Jack crooned as he tried to see and she cocked her head, looking eerily like Ianto as she considered if she would show, then she opened a talon to show that she has a tortoise shell.

"Ahhh, a torty. Must have died a while ago, the shell is quite empty" Jack said as he peered at it, "Pretty. That one of your goodies is it love?"

She shuffled to the edge of the pad and shoved the shell into the corner here she had pecked a hole in the tool kit. Ianto had managed to save most of them as she tossed them out but some did go over the side. She had worked it out you see. That the box was attached to the boat and wouldn't fall off. Every now and then she would bring back something pretty and put it in her 'box' for later. She would then sit and peer at them with interest before settling for the night.

Seems she could count too.

Dendy took a piece of driftwood to pretend it was a gun and her screams of rage had them all running about until the little boy offered it back. Luckily she liked the wee man, saw him as a little chick and she forgave the trespass as chicks do take things sometimes.

"Poor old turtle" Jack said to himself as he headed inside leaving the big bird to her happy clacking at her hoard. Like a dragon more than a bird really, seems she was starting to show more personality these days and he finally saw why Ianto loved her so.

She was so innocent.

.

.

.

Those of you who follow me and know where I live ... the draught declared by my government has broken with torrential downpours resulting in severe flooding in my region. I assure you that i may be a bit waterlogged but i am OK. My family is fine and we shall endure.


	39. Chapter 39

39

Two Queens drifted aimlessly as they had a 'no motor' day. This had been agreed to so the constant sound of the engines didn't drive them all mad, also the agreement that they were not in a hurry making them all see that they needed to relax more.

If only for the kids.

Owen stared dejectedly at the line between his fingers, the thought of fish yet again unappealing but it had now been almost two weeks since the sheep had been offered and although Myfanwy was trying her best there was nothing close at hand but fish. She could see their catch each day and seemed to have realised that her sharks were not needed, thank fuck as Owen put it when they discussed it but he knew damned well there were some tins of corned beef down below Ianto was still hanging onto.

He was wondering how to bring the subject up without Ianto getting defensive, like he was being these days when questioned about their rations when he heard something and he looked up from the slack line to see the water bubbling some distance away.

He surmised a dolphin or something had just slapped the water and he sighed as he leaned back and stretched, letting his head fall back and then he yelped as strong arms suddenly seized him under his arms and yanked him from his perch, the line falling from his fingers.

"Fuck Yan, good thing that's tied off in case I fall asleep ya nump…."

This splash was louder and closer.

"Shit, Jack there goes another one!" Ianto called out as he pushed Owen towards the cabin door and looked nervously up at the sky.

"What the hell is going on?" Owen demanded as he entered to find Tosh looking out the windows with open fear as she glanced occasionally at the children on the floor.

"Satellites" Ianto said as he entered the cabin and blew past to look at the radar, then back out to talk to Jack.

"Huh?"

"Owen, the solar flare hit the magnetic field around earth, this is what fried the electrical grids. It also fried the satellites." Tosh explained as simply as she could without startling the little boy listening on the floor, "Think about it love. Thousands of satellites suddenly fried. They are falling back to earth and it has taken them a couple of months to reach us."

"Shit" Owen finally got it and looked out as well, seeing the telltale tails in the sky, white slashes in a downward motion where something was falling fast and deadly.

"We should be OK" Tosh said as she sat and looked down at the little one listening, "We are at sea right? I mean, why have one out here. They will be over the cities right?"

Owen knew she was talking nonsense, they didn't all follow the natural turn of the earth, most were too far out and fixed…had been fixed. Shit. Owen looked up in time to see Ianto lean against Jack and Jack's arm snake around to pull Ianto close for a kiss of reassurance and he took comfort in it, also direction as the engine coughed to life.

Owen leaned down and kissed Toshiko softly, whispering that he was glad she was there and then he sat on the floor with Dendy, "How about we do some painting while he's distracted. You know he would never let us paint indoors."

Dendy lit up and soon the plastic tarp was down and they were painting with finger paints as the usual 'Outside Only' policy was exploited and the thrill of breaking a rule made Dendy forget about any potential threat. I mean, it was really messy.

Tosh gathered the little one when she got fussy and half expected Jack to come for her but he glanced in and nodded, looking back out to sea and she realised he would not come on all night. He and Ianto would stay as sentries watching the sky and gently piloting the vessel away from any perceived flight paths.

She was going to suggest one of them come in so it could be split shifts but then saw the way Ianto's arms were around Jack's waist as he looked over Jack's shoulder at the port side of the boat, Jack's arm tightly around Ianto as he looked to starboard and she saw that they were comforting one another, both worried and both drawing strength from the other one.

A couple.

A team.

She nodded and rose with the baby on her hip to make some sandwiches instead and she leaned out to ask what they wanted for filling, "We have plenty of jam or peanut butter."

"Open a can of the corned beef" Ianto said softly, not looking away from the piece of space junk he was calculating about, "Owen is dreaming about it. Just one, I want the other ones for next week for Dendy's birthday."

She nodded and went back inside to find Owen watching intently having heard the conversation. Now he knew why Ianto was saving the tins and felt a rush of affection also knowing one was about to be opened for him.

"Thanks Yan" he called out and a hand waved distractedly as Ianto's eyes scanned the sky like a bloody terminator.

A very much loved and needed one.

Owen's mouth watered as he waited.


	40. Chapter 40

40

Dendy was beyond excited as he clambered from his bed to find parcels sitting in the end of it. He opened one and found a fishing kit, a big tackle box full of stuff that was just for him. All his, even a filleting knife for fucksake!

His scream of glee had Owen on his feet running for the bedroom, "Shit, he's cut himself already."

Ianto rolled his eyes as he continued to scramble the eggs, humming softly and Jack recognised Moonlight Serenade as he leaned back to look out at the horizon and the faint trail of a falling satellite. It was one of the last and it seemed so sad to think of all that technology and money just gone like that.

Then Ianto made a noise, freezing as he looked in the other direction, "What's that?"

They all turned to look and Tosh sighed softly, "A nuclear blast. It's a nuclear sunrise."

"Shit, how far away?" Ianto was worried, looking down at the little girl in Jack's arms.

"It's like …. Hundreds of kilometres away, we are safe here Ianto" she assured him "We are upwind, we are fine. Where we are heading we will be safe from anything like that, New Zealand is Nuclear Free so we won't encounter anything in the air."

"Sorry, it's just that we've come so far to fuck it up now" Ianto said and Dendy snorted form the doorway with his arms full of the unopened gifts and the tackle box swinging in the crook of his arm like a silly handbag, "sorry bud. Potty mouth in the morning, me."

"Always were Ianto mate" Dendy said happily as he walked to the table and shoved his gifts up as Owen reached out to help, "Gonna open these here."

"Good, we want to see too" Ianto smiled as he checked out the tackle box and looked at Owen with approval, "We didn't tell one another what he had hidden so we could have fun too."

He ripped into a small one and hooted as he held up a hand held computer game that he knew Ianto had got, knowing his love for racing car ones and Ianto smiled as Dendy looked at the spare batteries with added delight.

As he opened another Tosh moved closer, signalling that it was from her and he looked at the book with surprise.

"It's all about the boat" Tosh explained, "Maybe you can learn some of the ways it works and when you are bigger you can be a captain."

He grinned now as he understood, looking at Jack as he held it up to show him and Jack smiled softly, "Tell you what, we will all read some together and I will help you learn how to drive this big girl, yeah?"

"Really?" Dendy asked with glee.

"We all will" Ianto agreed, "Sounds great, well done Tosh. Excellent and intelligent choice"

"Who got me this one then" Dendy asked as he opened the next one, then he squealed as he found a little life jacket inside.

"It's your size and its half killed me and Jack to keep it hid" Ianto said with a shrug, "Now it's nice weather Jack can take you out on the Jet Ski if you wear that."

"NO!" Dandy breathed with huge eyes, "Really? We can go fast?"

Jack laughed, "Yes Dendy man."

"What an awesome day" Dendy sighed happily then he looked at the last parcel with interest.

"That's from me" Jack informed him and Dendy shook it then lifted the lid on the box to peer inside.

"A watch?"

"It's a diving one" Jack explained "Owen is wanting to learn to swim and I think you should learn too then you can both swim together right? Mates do that. This watch is water resistant and has a little sensor that tells you how hot or cold the water is and if you go under the water it will tell you how deep you are."

"Cool" Dendy was enthused now.

"You gonna teach me?" Owen asked and Ianto leaned around Jack to answer.

"I will, Jack might forget if he sees a dolphin or something shiny to swim after" Ianto chortled, "I will teach you while Jack has Dendy who can swim a bit. That way the four of us can be in the water while Tosh and the sweetie bum are onboard still."

"She should learn too" Jack said after considering.

"I can swim" Tosh said with confusion.

"He means Bella love" Owen said as he patted her arm, "He's right. If we capsize or something she might get tossed into the drink. We don't know if she knows how to hold her breath or anything."

"I think Dendy will catch on quick and I can give Owen over or…or if we inflate one of the spare lifeboats we can tow them as they can fish from it or something for a change then Tosh and Bella can swim too."

"I would rather take her" Jack said, then grimaced, "Sorry Tosh, I didn't mean it like that, I just…"

"Love her so much" Tosh smiled, "It's OK Jack, I know it wasn't against me. I know she is your little jewel."

"Well, after breakfast we can all have a go" Ianto said as he placed the plates of bacon and eggs down, Owen gasping as he stared at the bacon.

"Where the fuck did you hide that?"

"The little fridge in our quarters has an icebox" Ianto replied calmly, "That's where the lemonade ice-blocks for later are too."

Dendy thought he might die from happiness.

Best Birthday ever!


	41. Chapter 41

41

Ianto silently placed their plates down, everyone trying to remain calm as the smells of the food drove them half mad with excitement. Janet was sure to love the leftovers and 'extras' Ianto added to her bucket as he made sure not to forget her and later he would sit with her and tell her of the boy's joy. He wasn't sure how much she understood but she did seem to like his voice.

Hair was still dripping as well as togs as Ianto looked around silently, everyone sitting at the table he had set up outside for the birthday party. The corned beef had been warmed so the hot veggies and mustard sauce all matched, the freshly baked bread was waiting to cool enough to be cut without collapsing.

"Right, eat" Ianto demanded and they all swooped in, Bella squealing as Jack offered the first mouthful of his mashed potatoes and she smacked her lips happily in his lap. Ianto sighed and pushed the little bowl of mash and gravy left from the night before into Jack's line of sight and he grinned as he fed her that and ate his own.

"Don't give her corned beef Cariad, too salty for her little self" Ianto said softly, "You can try her with a little mustard sauce in the mash if you want but I think the carrot and Parsnip mash might excite her."

"Oooo" Jack said excitedly as he squeezed her and then watched her try the new combination, her little mouth moving as she considered this.

"Well Dens, this Birthday OK so far?" Owen asked as he rubbed the little man's back affectionately, "I gotta tell ya, this is a pretty good one for me and it's not even mine."

"Best one" Dendy said, "Even without Ma. Ya know, you guys are a cool family yeah?"

"Yes love, we are" Tosh said happily, "We are all a family here, if loud and a bit obnoxious."

"Yeah, cool." Dendy nodded.

"Dendy, I am so proud of you for trying to swim a bit" Ianto said after the humming and munching had calmed to a reasonable rate, "you look like you are a natural."

"I did OK too!" Owen defended with a pout as Tosh laughed softly and hugged him close.

"Yes love, you did but remember this is his birthday" she whispered as you might a small child and he looked abashed as he apologised.

"No, you're right. Fair is fair, you did good. You might not be a confident swimmer but next time you fall in I will not panic." Ianto assured him and he jiggled in the chair happily.

"Now, are we all full is there room for one more thing do you think?" Ianto asked and they all looked around with surprise and Dendy perked up as he eyeballed Ianto.

"Is it cake?"

Owen froze, his glass halfway to his mouth as his eyes widened and Ianto nodded slowly.

"Happens I baked one during the night while you were asleep and I was on night watch" Ianto said calmly, "Maybe the smell of the food has masked it all day but it sits in the tat room."

"Oh god" Owen sighed, "What flavour?"

"Maybe it's chocolate" Ianto said with a conspiratal wink and Dendy flopped theatrically on the table showing he was learning a lot off Jack. Ianto rose and left the room as they all waited excitedly and then he returned with what was indeed a chocolate cake complete with icing.

"It seems the icing is still a bit moist" Ianto said with annoyance, "I always do it a bit runny so it takes….longer…..to ….Jack!"

Jack sucked his chocolate icing covered finger with wide eyes like he didn't know what he had done wrong and Dendy roared with laughter as he slapped the table in front of him, Owen quickly moving plates to make room as Tosh rose to get some clean ones for the cake, "Come on mate, giver her here!"

"Gotta light the candle first" Ianto muttered as he lit it and then slid it over, "Go on my little man."

Dendy closed his eyes and whispered, then blew.

Everyone cheered and then Ianto handed Dendy the knife, "Your cake. Your cut."

"Awesome!" Dendy crowed as he cut huge hunks out of the cake and Ianto resisted the urge to scold as it was the little man's day after all and who knows when he might get chocolate cake again.

Ianto had used the last of the eggs.

But it was worth it to make his boy smile.


	42. Chapter 42

42

Ianto moved in the bed, sliding away from Jack to stretch his long limbs and he sighed as he reached out to tuck the covers back around his half naked lover. Jack grunted and rolled away exposing his back now and Ianto snorted as he wondered why he was awake when it was the dead of night.

Then he heard a ping.

He frowned as he listened, the faint pinging something vaguely familiar and then a high pitched noise had him struggling from the blankets as Jack grunted and grabbed at them when he felt them sliding from his torso.

Ianto fell to his knees and swore, extracting himself from the sheets and running hell for leather up towards the wheelhouse, calling out to Owen that he needed to stop all engines and drop anchor. Jack sat up and frowned in the darkened cabin, then he head Ianto yell the repeated order and he now flew from the bed to follow.

Ianto was on the bridge of the top wheelhouse and he found what he was been afraid of. Owen was asleep in the chair.

Ianto slapped at his leg and roared at him to wake up as he pushed the chair around to gain access to the controls and he slammed the engines into reverse as he whispered an apology to them, the roar and shudder as the vessel stopped it's forward motion making Owen yelp as he was thrown from the chair into Jack.

"Fuck! You're naked!" Owen said stupidly as he stared at the two men in the moonlight.

"Report!" Jack demanded as he turned on the cabin light and looked at the dash.

"A fathom and …..shit….. less than ten feet, fuck!" Ianto was moving now, relinquishing his spot to Jack as he went to peer out, "Turn off the lights."

Jack complied and they were now in total darkness, not even running lights.

"There!" Ianto pointed, "I saw something, a light."

"Bullshit!" Owen said as he rubbed his face, "What the hell is going on?"

"I could ask the same thing" Tosh said in the doorway with Dendy behind her, his eyes wide as he clutched at her nightshirt. Bella was grizzling in her arms and it was the fact that Jack did not reach for the baby that warned her to move back into the hatchway, "Ianto?"

"We are in about a fathom and a half of water Tosh" Ianto said as he checked the depth again on the sounder, "When we are at two fathoms I will drop the anchor and we can bloody relax. Jesus wept, Owen you were asleep on watch. Thank the gods you set the Dead Man's Switch."

"The what?" Dendy asked.

"There is a timer on the dash, you have to hit the button every hour or so or it sets off an alarm. It stops the one on watch from falling asleep….usually" Jack explained patiently to the little boy, "Owen fell asleep and Ianto heard it. We are OK, just in shallow water see?"

Jack tapped the screen and Dendy walked over, not afraid now as he peered at the screen.

"So the alarm went off because we were in the low water?"

"No, the pings were the depth sounder alerting that we were close to bellying on something, the alarm was the loud one that came after" Ianto replied, calm now as he stopped all engines and dropped anchor, the rattle satisfyingly short. "We are close to a reef or something. At first light we will check and see where we are, might just need to go around something. Might even be a downed plane or sunken boat or something down there."

"Cool"

"Sorry I slapped you" Ianto said as he turned to face Owen, "If you were that tired you should have woken one of us to take over mate."

"I thought I was OK, shit. I fell asleep, we could have hit a floating tree or anything" Owen was getting distressed now and Ianto felt remorse for his outburst as it had been a difficult day with the last of the tinned peaches needing to be dolled out now, Owen's faves.

Everyone sat and tried to calm down as Ianto passed around bowls and then sat and looked over at Owen who was munching happily now, "It's OK Owen. An honest mistake and I am sure you got the crap scared out of you too."

"At least I have pants to crap in" Owen muttered and Ianto froze, the spoon halfway to his mouth and he looked down, only now realising that he and Jack were naked as jay birds.

"Shit, sorry Tosh" Ianto blushed with horror as Jack snorted. He knew, of course he had known all along and Ianto glared at him as he started to laugh.

"Here, can I go naked too?" Dendy asked with a straight face, "Only it is a bit hot tonight."

"It is from where I am sitting" Tosh said as she fanned herself and Ianto's blush deepened as it went down to his chest.

Gods.


	43. Chapter 43

43

Ianto took the rest of the night shift once Jack had retrieved boxers and he now sat in the Captain's Chair looking at the point where he had seen something.

There is was again.

Dawn was not that far away and he had heard Myfanwy leave not long ago so he wondered if it was her returning with something shiny that gave off the illusion of a small light.

There it is again.

Ianto rose and listened.

Sure enough he heard the soft thud and he looked up, smiling as he headed up to look up at her in the moonlight. She seemed pleased, clacking her beak and he blew her a kiss, then went back in and settled again, dawn not far off.

The others started to stir and Jack came to kiss Ianto good morning and take the chair so Ianto went out and flopped out his 'fella' peeing over the side of the boat as he yawned, looking down at the man in the boat who was silently watching him with two companions who were pulling in a fishing net.

"Gidday there."

"Shit" Ianto said softly as he fumbled and blushed, "Sorry, god, sorry."

"Nah, don't worry mate we all have to do it, right?" the voice with rounded words said with amusement, Ianto looking up again as he grinned and found he was not the least bit afraid. Especially as the man was looking past him and grinning at something. "He's your bird then?"

Ianto turned to look at Myfanwy who was calmly tearing the fleece from a sheep, Ianto looked and saw another one already on the deck as an offering to her 'chicks' and he snorted at the insanity of the interaction he seemed to be having.

"Yes. She's called Myfanway. She is…"

"A Pterodactyl? Or Pteranodon. We're kinda arguing on that!" another man said as he laid back and scratched at his huge brown belly, his grin also friendly, "She's a lovely girl."

"She is the result of some experimental…"

"Look mate, ya don't have to explain nothing. Since it all went to shit we've had all number of weird things arriving. Swimming, flying, even one that had a raft. A raft, you ever heard of a beaver with a raft and three family members on board? Beavers. Here. Fucking mad" the first one said and he waved a hand at the other two men in the boat, "That's Whetu with the belly and me brother Tane with the net. I'm Kane."

"Fet who?"

"Nah. No F. Its W and H. Whhhh sound. Whetu" Tane said slowly, "Say Fet like Wet. Yeah? Ooo like Ew. Whetu."

"Why do you always say it as Ew?" Whetu demanded, "Ya prick!"

"Tane is said as Tah Nay but is spelt different too. We sort of use our vowels differently in our language" Kane said ignoring him, "Mine isn't a Maori name."

"Maori. New Zealand" Jack said as he arrived to look down at what Ianto had been looking at, "Shit. How close are we?"

"You need to go around the reef, you are almost there" Kane said as he turned to point, "There's a lighthouse there and our village is just around the point."

"Lighthouse, I thought I saw a light" Ianto said with delight, "Wow. It works?"

"Only on auxiliary, the pilot light. We have a problem with the gears so the big one isn't working. Shit man, you are so lucky you didn't run aground" Kane said as he dropped the net into the boat. A canoe. Ianto was looking at it with interest.

"Called a Waka." Kane said.

"A whacker?"

"Whaaaaah Ka" Tane seemed so calm and forgiving as they tried to get their head around the language, "It means a canoe, yeah. Carved from a tree."

"Wait, you fish traditionally?" Jack asked as he crouched down to look closer "Any power here?"

"Yeah" they all said.

"Of course, we have lost the power grid from the bloody thing in the atmosphere but we have got some solar panels up for most of the houses and stuff, some of the wires that burned are going to be re-hung. We are hydro so we will get back online with that eventually, those of us off the grid are OK though." Kane seemed to be the most talkative and Jack looked at him closely as he gauged things, then he spoke.

"Want to come aboard and meet the others?"

"Nah, you just come around the point there and into the bay. Come have breakfast with us, do you like crayfish?" Whetu spoke up, lifting a crayfish that was still flapping with anger.

Jack turned to Ianto, "Well? Want to take a wee spin around the point?"

Jack went down to tell the others as Ianto fired up the smaller engine and hit the button to weigh anchor, the Waka cruising ahead to show the safe entry point to the bay.

They had made it.

Their new home was waiting.


	44. Chapter 44

44

Dendy sat watching the coffee coloured children as they all raced around on the beach screaming and yelling, the red headed ones especially interesting to him. Then a couple of white ones raced past with banshee wails and he looked at Ianto.

"Go on then, just don't kill one" Ianto said blandly, "Best you hide your mad skills man."

Dendy snorted with mirth at the silliness of his lovely friends and approached the children nervously, "Hi."

"Kia ora." One replied, then canted her head, "Sorry. Hello, you're not from here."

"Cardiff."

"Australia?"

"Nah, like Cardiff Wales. You know, the country by England?" he explained, "We sailed here on a boat."

"Cool, me dad has a boat too" another chimed in, "What sort?"

"That one!" Dendy pointed to Two Queens anchored out in the bat and they all made noises of glee, "The big bird is ours too."

"What is it?"

"A dinosaur thing" he said with authority, "she's a girl."

"Cool bananas" a boy slid closer and pointed to his own shaved head, "I like your hair. Cool hair, my mum did mine."

"Cool" he replied as he caught on that this was a standard answer.

"Wanna see the puppies?"

They all raced off and Ianto relaxed, looking away from his child as he told himself to be trusting, Jack said to trust these people with their lovely warm smiles.

"Hi there" a woman sat nearby and he recognised an English accent, "Where are you from?"

"We came from Wales" Ianto answered with interest, "Owen there is from London originally and Tosh is English-Japanese, Jack is…well. Jack."

"Yes, I got that impression" she laughed, "He's a friendly bloke, aye?"

Ianto was not used to this, it was not a question. He now knew they often ended or started a conversation with the word. It was some sort of space filler instead of huh.

"So, you are from here?" he asked.

"Fourth generation but I've been in London working at the Royal Hospital until about six months ago" she nodded, "My husband is Tane. You've met him, he was excited to come tell me there were more poms."

"Poms?"

"Their name for us the pricks" she laughed happily, "They like nicknames."

"I've noticed. Ianto is often called Yan, Jack is called the Captain. Toshiko is Toshi and Owen is Little Bastard but you whisper that one" Dendy said, all the children roaring with glee as Dendy offered a fat little puppy to Ianto.

"Wanna see some sheep lose their balls?" a kid interrupted and Ianto waited to see what would happen.

"What?" Dendy blinked with shock.

"Some of the fellas are cutting the balls off the sheep" a girl told him, "The lambs get fatter, nicer meat. Wanna watch?"

Dendy considered, "Shit yeah!"

"Cool Bananas" one of them said and Dendy grinned as he followed them, already feeling at home.

"Look at them" Owen said happily as he watched Dendy run barefoot across the soft grass above the sand to a holding pen some distance from the shed they were sitting outside of.

"Docking" Tane said with a nod.

"Huh?"

"Docking. Tail and balls" Tane said calmly, "The kids like to cook the balls on a fire. You ever eaten fresh balls? Nicer when they're from the bullocks."

"Bullocks? Ballocks!" Owen snorted.

"Exactly" Tane nodded sagely "Ballocks are yummy man, fucking juicy"

Owen stared at him as Jack started to laugh, "Gods, mountain mussels. Quite nice actually. Look Tane bud, do not offer him Huhu grubs, he would not understand."

"Huh?"

"Huhu grubs are found in rotting wood, a delicacy. They eat them raw and writhing" Jack said as he enjoyed Owen's shudder of horror.

"That large house over there, what is it called?" Ianto looked up at it.

"This place is called the Marae. It's the meeting place or home. That is the meeting house, Te Wharenui. It means the Meeting House. The Wharenui is where we have meetings, parties, sleepovers … any number of community events. "

"The Far-aye-noo-ey" Ianto said slowly, "An important place, the heart of the village."

"Exactly, this place is to be thought of as sacred. Sort of like our church." Tane smiled, "Why it is an honour to be invited to stay."

"A large honour" Ianto nodded, then he looked over at Jack on the grass with their daughter … yeah he knew that now…. And he knew he had to be proactive now. "We will need ot speak to your elders. Right? To ask permission to stay, to have a home for us and our kids?"

"They are waiting for you to ask" Tane asked happily, "Good. Good. I hoped it would be you. Come, you are going to have to have an official greeting, a welcome to the marae if you are going to stay. Come on, the gates are over there if you want to enter."

Ianto looked at the huge carved arch over a gateway that looked like a weird totem pole that leaned to touch another. "Right then, what do we do?"

"Your family walk with you, you walk with me. They call you on, we will answer for you and explain that you come in peace. You will be welcomed and be invited to eat" Tane explained.

"Well the boy will love that" Ianto smiled.

"Yeah, the wee one might too, eh?"

Ianto laughed as he saw that Owen had been pegged.


	45. Chapter 45

45

They walked with Tane as a woman stood yelling at them. Her voice was high pitched and she swung her arms like she was casting a spell or something. Ianto expected Tane to answer but to his surprise a woman did, moving to stand beside Tane as she waved her arms and made the haunting cries back then she strode forward.

"That's my mum" Tane whispered, "Now we are invited."

They walked forward and Ianto remembered the instructions given, reaching for the hand of the old man who moved to stand by the woman who had called to them and he leaned in then waited. The old man hummed with approval as he leaned in to touch their foreheads together and their noses touched as well, a hongi of welcome. (Hong-e) that was to touch minds and share breath.

Dendy loved it, even the children joining in to form a big long line and by the end of if even wee Bella was dutifully leaning forward with glee.

"Right, that's done then" Tane said happily, "Come on, let's eat now."

"You keep feeding us" Ianto said as he watched Dendy take off with another puppy from somewhere.

"Of course we are" Tane laughed, "We feed. It's our way."

"Well it is a lovely way" Ianto smiled as he now saw Owen running past with Dandy under his arm.

Ianto sat next to an old lady who patted the seat to encourage him and she leaned forward, "So, you are the Welsh one?"

"Yes Ma'am" he nodded.

"Call me Aunty" she said softly, "Tell me boy, what is your name?"

"Ianto" he replied and then added, "Yan."

"Ah. And the one with the baby, he yours is he?"

"Yes Aunty. He's mine" Ianto nodded feeling a flush of delight in saying it.

"Ah … good. So, you gonna stay on the boat or come to us?" she asked, "We have some houses here that were holiday batches and stuff. Aye?"

"Well, I was thinking but didn't want to be too pushy … about the lighthouse. Is it a home as well, or just a metal box?" Ianto asked as he leaned forward, "You know I have the big bird right? She can nest up in the light tower behind the hot bulb and be happy with it."

"Well, it is a house as well" she smiled, "But it doesn't go."

"We are good with our hands, Jack loves pulling things apart and Tosh is amazing with machines too. I think we could get it functional." Ianto said softly, "Would it fit us though? We would need …ah…four bedrooms at least."

"It has four bedrooms, a cellar as well as an office" she said smugly, "You could all fit, including the one hiding on the boat. Doesn't like people?"

Ianto blinked and then sniggered as he saw how quick this old lady was and how well their story had spread.

"Janet is …ah … mentally underdeveloped an attacks people she doesn't know. She is Owen's sister. Should have been in care but the day is all went off she was out on day release. She is quite violent but we do love her" Ianto said and Owen swung to glare at him as he heard what he was saying.

"What?"

"Janet. They know we have her" Ianto said calmly, "I am just explaining about her violent tendencies so we need a cellar. Apparently the lighthouse has one she would like. She likes the dark, bright light gives her those migraines right?"

"Yeah, she bites like a pit-bull" Owen sighed, "But she is so sweet when she is happy and singing."

"We all are dear" she giggled with glee, her toothless grin making Owen laugh too then he leaned forward.

"That boil on your leg needs lancing love" he said with a loving pat to her hand, "I am a doctor and I can see it is painful."

"A doctor?" she asked, "We have healers and my daughter-in-law is a vet but you are a proper doctor?"

"Yeah, a qualified Medical Doctor" Owen nodded "I used to be an ER doc."

"Well now, that is a boon" she said happily, "Well. Go for it young man."

Owen found himself with several knifes to choose from, his amusement thrumming as he waited for Ianto to race to The Two Queens and back with his medical kit, the sight of it attracting more as it now became apparent that he had been truthing.

Owen trended to the old lady and when he was done he patted her arm and told her she was a bloody champion, her grin growing that she was no longer in pain.

"You've done well there" Whetu said to Ianto as he nodded in the direction of Owen and the old lady, "That old lady is one of our Kuia."

"Kuia"

Whetu nodded and said it slowly for him "Coo –e-ya. Yeah, she is an important elder. Her letting him do that and him showing how well he handles her makes him even more welcome. I hear you talking about the lighthouse, do you really think you can get it running?"

"Tell me, water and stuff" Ianto refocused as he realised he was again being offered help.

"Yeah, solar panels and pumps. All self contained. I'll tell the others and we will go have a cleaning spree, what food do ya want? Got anything you don't like?"

"Baked beans, I hate them" Ianto said with a frown, then he smiled. "Sorry we will be grateful for anything."

"Good, because it might be anything that we give" came the good hearted reply.


	46. Chapter 46

46

The dust was the first thing that drove Ianto into a frenzy and they stood back to watch as dust cloths were ripped off with horror. A pretty woman stood with her arms full of cleaning products as Ianto ranted and raged, mostly in Welsh thank the gods so she didn't realise what had upset him so.

"Hi there, I'm Moana" she said happily as she plonked the box on the table and a great cloud of dust rose into the air as Ianto squealed. "You guys all speak English?"

"Hello Moana, I'm Jack and the one having a spastic fit is my …ah…mate. Mate? Partner? So you have a word for that?" Jack considered, "I don't remember. He is capable of English when he calms down."

"Your fella, and he looks a bit pissed off" she canted her head, then turned to smile at Jack, "Some of us are taking the horses up over the hill into the gorge pig hunting. Wanna come? Do ya ride?"

"Are you kidding? I love horses and hunting, I know your pigs and they are bloody massive" he enthused and turned to call to Ianto "Ianto, going pig hunting with some others."

"Yeah, yeah" came a tepid reply as he now uncovered a window he hadn't known existed for all the cardboard boxes against one slightly curved wall. "Right, these all need to come out so I start with a blank canvas."

"You want me to stay? Help?" Jack asked and Ianto swung as if just remembering they were having a conversation.

"No, no. Go. We need to build networks, friendships. The sooner we settle the better for the kids. No, go on. You are dying to shoot something" Ianto flapped a hand at him then looked up with a frown, "I need to look upstairs and you may hear my scream anyway."

Owen entered about haf an hour later and looked at the haphazardly tossed boxes in the doorway, then heard scrapping, heading up the sitars to find Ianto in the first level muttering to himself.

"You OK?" Owen asked with trepidation.

"I've looked at the rooms and think I have a working layout if you are agreeable" Ianto straightened up to look at him, cobwebs in his hair and Owen resisted the urge to point at them, instead raising his eyebrows.

"Right. The ground level will be living space. We can cut it into kitchen, eating and living room. The office behind the stairs can be a little day room for Bella's naps and their toys so they are not on theses stairs all the time. This level here has the two larger bedrooms as the lighthouse slopes."

"I didn't know they made them fat" Owen said conversationally as he tried to envisage what Ianto was saying.

"Wind" Ianto said softly, "Huge gales make taller structures shake. If it is on a rise like this it doesn't need to be tall to be seen. By making it squat and twice the width of the big ones it weathers the storm more. Good for us too because the rooms are nice and big."

"So…. You were saying?" Owen prodded.

"Well, like I said, ground level for living space. Janet down below. Jack and I take this room, the kids next door. The two rooms above are slightly smaller but I think you and Tosh should take both. Then you can have one for sleeping and the other as some personal space. Maybe a sofa, table and chairs. Use it for an office and living space for when you want some private time?" Ianto suggested.

"She can have her projects spread out then" Owen nodded, "Maybe a table and two chairs for some romantic dinners and stuff, yeah. Sounds good. I like that."

"If Dendy gets antsy when bigger I can turn the office into his room then, when I am not too nervous letting him sleep that far away" Inot nodded, "Myf has plenty of room up in the lighthouse with the open sides. I see she has already been in there looking as she left half a bloody sheep. I swear to god she knows what we are thinking. She listens and hears everything."

"You do seem to have thought this through" Owen grinned, "She's really been up there already?"

"Yeah, I feel good about this" Ianto nodded, looking around once more then he sighed as he looked around, "It all needs cleaning, a paint job and some new stuff before we move in. They have offered us a batch … I think it's like a little cottage until we can move in but I don't want to be away from Janet."

"I agree" Owen nodded, "Also gives us time to look through what we have and want to move from the boat."

"And sort what you still have hidden?" Owen asked softly, Ianto blinking and then grinning back.

"Yeah, there is another compartment I've not said anything about. I know it's not money. Not drugs." Ianto said and Owen moved closer with raised eyebrows.

"Weapons, OK? A fucking arsenal under the bed in the Captain's Berth." Ianto hissed and Owen grinned as he saw the forward thinking.

"Currency" Owen finally said and Ianto nodded.

"Yeah, worth more than gold now."


	47. Chapter 47

47

Owen and Tosh headed back to the Two Queens to check on Janet and get a few things. Ianto was hoping that they might move her into the basement in a day or two if they could get it cleared out so he kept working on that.

"Pigs."

Ianto looked up from here he was kneeling by a box to look at the little boy in the doorway, the greenstone carving around his neck dark and foreboding as the little carved man poked tongues at him. Dendy looked up from beside Ianto with interest then took off out the door.

"They kill one already?" Ianto asked with surprise.

"Nah, not that sort of pig. The blue kind."

Ianto frowned and rose to walk to the door and he felt the blood rush form his face as a police officer walked around a vehicle to talk to Dendy.

"Dens, go find your shoes please" Ianto yelled as he walked calmly towards the man, then he saw the real problem as the two military men stepped out of a building followed by a grumpy looking Tane.

"Yan. These fella are looking for someone who stole a car" Tane said sullenly.

"A car? There is the blue Holden down there and earlier in the week a white saloon came but that was the woman who brings the children homework" Ianto replied, trying not to flinch when one of the soldiers approached to look at him closely.

And you are?"

"Ianto Jones." Ianto offered his hand, "Hello."

"Sir, are you registered?" the other one asked, "Only, I think you are a visitor."

"I live back there in the lighthouse" Ianto thumbed back over his shoulder, "I'm an import right enough. From Wales originally."

"When did you get here?"

"About a week ago" Ianto lied easily and Tane stood there nodding his agreement.

"and you've not seen a red station wagon?"

"No. I would have noticed that, red is my favourite colour" Ianto smiled as he lifted his jersey to show the res t-shirt beneath, "definitely not."

"Are you alone?"

"No" Ianto said, swinging to see a boat approaching the Two Queens and he sighed, the gig was about to be up if he didn't act fast. Own and Tosh down below probably had no idea "You better call the coast guard back unless they want to be fired on. That vessel is the properly of Torchwood, Her Majesty's Service and we are armed."

"Torchwood. Really? Like the Wellington crew who pretend they are not really hunting aliens Torchwood?" the police officer asked as he stepped back, "Shit."

He pulled a walkie-talkie from his back pocket and spoke into it with urgency, the boat slowly turning away from the Two Queens as Ianto sighed with relief.

"We do need to check it ya know, we need to see that you don't have any fresh fruit or veggies or anything that might…." The soldier stopped talking as Ianto started to laugh.

"We came from Wales. You know. Scotland, England and Wales? The other side of the world in a boat. You really think those months it took us from the day of the flares until now that we would still have fresh stuff on there?" Ianto snorted.

"Sergeant I think we need to step down here, they are outside out jurisdiction" the police officer warned, "That Wellington group are sort of … covert but not. Remember that big foot sighting? The bloody mountainside on fire?"

"Sounds like a bit of overkill" Ianto huffed and they all nodded their agreement.

"Look, I'll tell you what. We'll go have a cuppa and you sort yourself out. Then we can all mosey over and have us a look to tick the boxes that you have been cleared by customs, aye?" the officer said, then smiled, "I'm Sergeant McDonald."

"Well, I have a chid running about somewhere, do you need to frisk him for weapons?" Ianto asked, all of them roaring with mirth as Ianto watched Dendy out the corner of his eye, the child carrying the duffel bag into the pig ferns by the lighthouse with the help of another child.

Good boy.

"Sounds like a plan, I can go change. Spring cleaning me" Ianto said and they all nodded as they looked at the cobwebs.

Ianto hurried off cursing softly as he knew there was no way to contact Jack and the hunters.

Or the boat.

Shit, he just had to hope Owen had heard the approaching craft before it aborted and had closed the smugger hatches.

Then he went in to tidy himself up and looked in the old cracked mirror with horror, the spider webs now known.

Well, at least he had looked the part.


	48. Chapter 48

48

The helicopter came from the other side of the distant mountain and Ianto felt himself shudder as he watched the huge black monster bank and choose somewhere to land, then settle on the grass paddock. The men who got out were in black too and Ianto knew they must be from the T on the side of the chopper.

Torchwood, Wellington.

Damn it.

"Agent Jones?" one yelled with interest "I'm Agent Hayes. Welcome to New Zealand."

"You're a bit late" Ianto said calmly, "These lovely people have made us more than welcome."

"Agent Jones, we need a debrief and inventory of whatever you managed to bring us" one demanded.

"Actually we need your paperwork" Jack barked striding towards them as the other hunters led the horses past with a large pig on the back of one. "Captain Jack Harkness and I do believe I am the senior Agent here. I outrank your Director if this is a dick swinging contest."

They stared at him, then another person got out of the chopper and started to approach slowly, Ianto warning Jack, "On your six."

Jack swung and lit up "Kerri!"

"Jack?" she gaped, "Oh my god. It's been ten…eleven years? What the hell. You've not aged a day! Come on, it's a piece of alien tat, right?"

"Yes. It's a penis ring so it won't work for you" Jack quipped and they laughed some more. "Look Kerri, we have a pet Weevil on board so your men would not be welcome."

"No shit!"

"Nope. She's Owen's pet." Jack agreed and she screwed her face up.

"You have him too? A Weevil AND a Harper? Did you have to?" she sighed and Ianto felt himself bristle as he stepped forward but Jack caught him and pulled him close, a squeeze of warning.

"This is Ianto, my PA. Look, we are not here to step on toes, we are not officially Torchwood here. We left it all in ruins. We were lucky to get out with our skins. We can run over to the boat, you can see that we are just a family and we will wave you off. I am not here to take over the division, I am not here to get in your way. You do good work. I always said so. Consider me retired, OK?" Jack was talking calmly but was also watching as Dendy removed another bag.

They got in the Coast Guard boat and motored over, the shot gun greeting them as Owen sneered at them, then saw Jack and lowered it to let them on.

"So just the four of you? I thought I heard something about a child?" Kerri asked.

"A kid from my apartment building. An orphan that is mine now" Ianto nodded, then saw the bib, "And a baby. My daughter. She's just little but…I'm sorry."

Ianto made a show of being upset and looking away as they all showed remorse for upsetting him. Then one of the searchers found the hidden panel in the floor as Ianto knew they would.

"That's our food storage" Ianto said as he pulled it back to show them and they clambered in to look around, the red bag looking huge in the half light as Ianto struggled not to swallow. "Sorry about the smell, a pumpkin rotted."

"Where is the Weevil?" Kerri asked and Owen walked to Ianto and Jack's berth, folding his arms.

"She's mine!"

"We don't need to search that one, not unless you want to lose a limb. She would have torn the place apart for us" Kerri warned her men and they moved on, Ianto nodding to Owen as he hoped Janet would be respectful of his room and not trash it.

"So, no alien weapons?"

"Just me" Jack said and then snorted, "And I belong to Ianto now."

Ianto stared at him with shock and then smiled as he looked away, still supposed to be grieving and Jack realised his gaff, grinning to hide it.

"My place is to help and support my team through this horrible trauma. They all lost family, so did I. We are not here to stake a claim. We are simply here to live a peaceful retirement. Do I have to keep repeating myself?" Jack asked and then Kerri sighed.

"Fair enough, let's go. This is clearly not an invasion" she said as she waved her men back to the Coast Guard vessel and Jack laughed.

"If it was an invasion we would have matching uniforms and codenames. Owen would insist on codenames" Jack joked as they puttered back to shore, Ianto's relief thrumming.

Seems she had accepted things and they might be left alone.

He also hoped Dendy was a good boy who didn't play with any of the alien weaponry in the blue bag.

Little shit.

Ianto smiled as he looked down to mask it, his love for the child thrumming as he recalled the look of determination on the wee face as the child had quickly hidden evidence.

Everything he would have wanted in a son.

Now he had one, he was perfect.


	49. Chapter 49

49

They had waited until they were long gone, an hour of tense sitting at the picnic table with an overwrought Welshman who was wringing his hands under said table as he kept looking in the direction of the chopper's departure.

Finally Jack nodded, "OK. We're OK."

"Right then, we have a pig to dress" Tane said as he rose from the table and Dendy looked up at him with huge eyes.

"What do you dress it in?" he finally asked and they all went silent, then roared with mirth as Ianto turned to explain that it was a term meaning to prepare it and cit it into cooking portions.

"Come on love, I know how to" Jack rose with a hand held out for Dendy to take and he handed the baby to Ianto, leading the little boy over to watch the pig be gutted, something that had him crowing with glee as he was allowed to poke the stuff in the bucket.

"I am so sorry" Ianto said to those still seated with him, "I would have preferred they never find us, they will come back and want something. Just one little job, just some advice. Always one more thing."

"It's OK bro" Whetu assured him "We knew you were a bit different, after all you fellas got all this way with that bloody bird. It's OK."

"I love it here, you are all so lovely" Ianto said to them earnestly, "I can grow old here, be happy here. Things I never thought I would have. Not in my job. Most Agents die before their 40th birthday."

"Well that's pretty shit mate!" one blustered, "Anyway. You're ours now and if she comes back we will tell her to piss off!"

Ianto smiled as he joined the laugher, relaxing as he looked down at the baby who was clapping excitedly as a hand reached out to offer her a piece of crayfish. They liked to feed you here. He was going to get fat. Nah. Not with these nerves.

A woman snatched the baby and wandered off towards the flower garden and Ianto considered, finding he didn't mind and he rose to check where everyone was then headed back to the lighthouse with a new purpose. He wanted to be in there, everyone safe and locked down.

If Torchwood came calling they would be ready next time, they would have better defences in place and they would not be caught unaware.

The painting was a lovely surprise, those coming to open cans, pick up brushes and all laugh then sing lovely songs in their haunting language. He vowed to learn their language, at least enough to have a conversation and it was nice that Moana was happy to translate the songs for him. Most of them were love songs or songs of friendship and he found no surprise in that, their welcoming laid back attitude showed them to be a people who preferred love not war.

"Tell me, do you ever fight?" he asked and they shook their heads.

"Nah, traditionally we had fights and stuff but these days we are all just wanting to live a peaceful life. We were warriors but farmers too." Kane said, "We are influenced by others and some of us embraced Rastafarian. Of course, like everything we adapt it to fit our ways and the ideal that love trumps all is what we prefer. All are welcome, all are loved."

"Well, it works for me" Ianto smiled, "You are all so lovely. Thanks."

"Well, so. Your fella can hunt, the other fella is a doctor. The lady is a good mechanic and you? What is your favourite thing?" one of the others turned to face him, a smudge of paint in his hair, "You gotta have something special about you."

"Well, I was an archivist. Like …ah … a librarian I guess. I also was Jack's Personal Assistant. I mostly worked to please him" Ianto frowned, "I guess ….well … huh. In my younger years I was what is called a Hoodlum. Ah. Like a gang? Um … I was a little thief, a little carjacker … ah … totally a shit. Then I found Torchwood and they found my edidic memory."

"What's that?"

"Like a photographic one, right? You remember conversations or event clearly?" another answered and Ianto nodded.

"I know all your names, the sizes of your children's feet as well as which ones like lemonade and which prefer raspberry. I know the family dynamics and how many guns are here … bar those we have hidden and I have also worked out that the power source is not just the lighthouse. You are growing marijuana in the hills and have a tidy operation but you need more security. Toshiko can help there, we can set up some CCTV cameras and such, we have some on the boat. Tosh can set up some early warning systems so anyone coming this way sets off sensors at least an hour before they are here so we can be ready."

"Well, that sounds good" Kane said with a sage nod, Ianto's admission of his past going down like he said he was in Sunday School.

There people were unreal.

Land Pirates.

Good.

They fitted right in.


	50. Chapter 50

50

"A dope growing operation" Owen repeated for the third time, "You telling me they are dope growers."

"Yes. Not for resale, just a tiny bit … apparently it's for their own use but they are hounded by local gangs for a cut" Ianto replied, "If Tosh can set up some surveillance we can see who keeps coming in to poison their crops, rip off the plots and try to strong arm them. We need to see who comes by road too, not just for them but us. I do not want to get caught with our pants down."

"So you don't think we need to have a say in this? An illegal dope growing operation" Owen said with interest, "You just assume we want to live in this hippie commune?"

"Yes"

"Well, OK. Just so we all know and agree" Owen leaned back, "So how do we do this?"

"Right now the currency that works is guns and food. Once things settle to some new order it will be drugs. It is always drugs, always was" Jack said calmly, "This is not something we should be light about. We need to discuss this now. This is not a den of drug dealers. Their Rasta beliefs mean they smoke it themselves. The problem are the others in the region who do grow for money. They see this village as weak, easy pickings now there is no law at all. I mean, they can't call the local coops and say another lot of dope growers have stolen their dope."

"They are not dealers, they don't sell" Tosh said with a sage nod, "then what difference is it to someone doing home brew. This is theirs, not like they are courting young minds. It's their religion. I will do what I can to help."

"Good." Ianto sighed, "Sorted."

"Well, you know I wanna see now" Owen said as he leaned back in his chair, "It's only a small operation then, if it's just for personal use."

"Yes, I understand it to be a small number of plants grown each season, picked and dried, then smoked socially until the next year. They do not sell, do not share, do not encourage the children." Ianto felt the need to defend them "They have made it clear we will never be offered or expected to take part in a 'session' as they call them."

Well, OK" Owen said, "Look we owe them a lot. They are good people and you can stop that now. We agree, OK? We will live here with them. It's OK."

"Sorry, you know me so well" Ianto sighed, "I am fluffing aren't I."

"You don't want us to want to leave and you don't want us to stop liking our new friends just because they are pot heads" Owen nodded sagely and Ianto grinned at him. "Ianto mate, you think I don't know what I smell walking past the back of the big house?"

"Well, I don't want us to go totally insane or anything but it is technically against the law." Jack agreed, "Not that there is much law these days, they do have others wanting what they have."

"They won't want to trade with it?" Tosh asked.

"No, apparently the crayfish and such in these parts are not easy to get and are good for trade, as are their carving skills. The gardens too, they were lucky to have those long tunnel houses to protect their veggie crop, it means they have a lot others don't have. Good for trade, bad for thieves." Ianto commented, "As a peaceful lot they are easy pickings."

"Well, I vote we stay, become like them but I do not want a face tattoo" Owen nodded.

"Moko they call it, it's not something given freely anyway. It's like a badge of honour. Their traditional tattoos show stories and stuff unique to each bloodline, really interesting and no, I do not see myself getting anything either. Have you seen how they do them? Sharp needles, a row of them that they tap with a hammer to deliver the ink under several layers of skin" Ianto shivered as Owen perked up.

He wanted to see that.

"I want to move Janet in the morning while the kids are all distracted in the Whare with morning lessons. She will be oober curious about everything and I don't' think they will want her lumbering in there for a nosey." Ianto pointed out and everyone nodded.

"The smell of the paint has gone down there, she had plenty of toys and things we found for her and hopefully we can move her without too much hassle. If we explain first she will try to be good" Owen agreed, "She is a good girl really, right?"

"The best" Ianto assured him, "Also, the mattresses have been pulled up top to begin Myf's nest and I will have the straw brought up next, we can use the winch outside the building as I do not want that straw all through my house, not when I've got it all clean and I see she is already realised it is her spot and is transferring her goodies from the boat to behind the light bulb fixture."

"Funny bird" Owen said softly with affection.

The place was starting to come together.


	51. Chapter 51

51

Ianto knew they liked to sing, it had been explained that they told their stories and kept memories alive through songs as there had been no written language before the white man so it made sense that the Maori were musical and the guitars often encouraged song after a meal to settle the children.

Dendy wanted to be part of the sleepover happening tonight and Ianto saw his indecision so he made a choice, "I was wondering if I could help with the sleepover. I would like to sleep in here with you."

He had apparently asked the right thing, the elders all nodding happily as one raised a carved walking stick to point at him, then a mattress in a corner to show it was where he would settle and he immediately went over in his stocking feet to place his pillow. Dendy lit up and raced to choose a mattress with some of the other children now he saw that Ianto was not going to leave him, something that Ianto found immensely sad.

Then the children started to settle and talk amongst themselves, Jack entering with the baby and a pout the size of Texas.

"Cariad?"

"How will I sleep?" Jack sighed, "I need you."

"Then you simply settle here on the outside so you can get up in the night if she wants a bottle" Ianto said as he patted the mattress and Jack looked at it with surprise, it had obviously never occurred to him to stay too. "Just like back in the Hub."

Jack zoomed off and returned with bedding and an interested little girl who knew something was happening, Ianto smiling as he hooked a guitar leaning against the wall that everyone seemed to play.

"Would you lay with me" Ianto started to sing, plucking the cords carefully, then gaining confidence until he belted out the song to an excited little girl with huge eyes. Her hands clasped under her chin as she listened to the song of affection, another little one moving to flank her with interest as well and when Ianto boomed out the chorus other voices chimed in with delight in a song they had known but had perhaps forgotten.

Then they all cheered and Ianto settled back, Sweet Home Alabama going down well as several children and adults moved their bedding closer and settled for a good sing-song. Ianto was showing fine from as he let his voice ring out and Jack was again reminded of how unique his mate was as the angelic vowels echoed in the rafters.

Ianto slowed and placed the guitar aside so Jack picked it up, his version of Time after Time haunting as he serenaded Ianto and it was clear that he was as Ianto blushed and leaned in to kiss him and whisper affections back.

"I like them" an elder said to another as they watched and some sage nodding and grunting as the elders all watched this new element settle into their tribe.

They all liked them it seemed and it was nice that there had been no feathers ruffled. Oh. Well. Myf doesn't have feathers OK? She might have landed on the roof as she heard her chicks inside and she might had leaned over the side to per though the window as the kids screamed with glee and Ianto scolded her loudly making everyone laugh as the sight of him chastising like a parental.

Yeah, things were coming along nicely and it was a bloody relief, I can tell you.

The apocalypse might have caused worldwide panic and an immense loss of life but Ianto could only look around with wonder at this new world they were creating.

He never felt so….

Alive.

.

.

.

.

So ends this. I am contemplating a part II that would pick up in about six months or a year to show the harmony of the group and how well they have entered the society.


	52. Chapter 52

So, it is soon to be 1 year since the sola flares and the family are now fully entrenched in tribal life. Once Torchwood always Torchwood and when they are asked to serve once more they see the chance to protect their tribe as well with a deal made at a cost that is more than Jack first realised. This is an Alt Verse, no flamers please. Still love me some crumbly cake xxxx PEACE

Come on now, here we go with part 2, you did ask for it and I hope you know it is allyour fault. Poor Jack. Just remember, their tribe is there for them and the new trials I dump on them.

So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades - Solar Flare Verse 2

Now up and running, come find it


End file.
